Mashua Tadashi: Swordsmith Book II
by SketchyT
Summary: Mashua (Takamitsu), fresh out of a coma realizes that his location and identity have been compromised. The Hokage seems fine with Mashua, a little too fine at this point despite all that he knows of this kid. What's next, War? Games? Resolution? Well... Two would be right.
1. Chapter 1

Ch1:

" **Mashua!"** the Raikage's voice roared to such a degree that the great fire nation likely was all in earshot of it.

The ground beneath rumbled, the storms delivered gallons upon gallons of horizontal rainwater. I laid inside the cave which once trapped me before. Thankfully, this time, the water hasn't risen to drown me out like last time. Wait… This is actually a sensory type jutsu, one of which acts like a sonar to beings with chakra, and people it hits notifies the Raikage. I know this from one of the forbidden scrolls. The colour of the water determines the type of chakra, be it water (blue), air (white), Fire (red) ect.

"Search nearby, I felt him somewhere…" his voice very dark and vibrant, scared the absolute crap out of me.

I quietly covered myself in the mud of the pit against the tree in attempts to camouflage myself. Fifteen minutes passed, his crew had no luck. I felt the ground beneath the boots of his men that quaked and rumbled about. Either three men passed around, or they tripled back in their lack of findings.

"What is the meaning of this nonsense!" The hokage shouted from a distance on approach from the west.

"We had been notified the scroll thief had settled in the hearts of Konoha. We had been looking for him for the past two years and a body has yet to show up until recently." He had dissipated the storms and the two kages spoke eye to eye.

" _Hey kid…"_ A voice in the cave spooked me. " _I can get you out rather quickly. I heard you have some… useful information to share."_

"What makes you think I'm ready to talk?" I bited back.

"Well I'm ready to scream." he seemed enticed.

"And there goes your source of information…"

"I like you already." he chuckled. "You know how to drive the bargain."

He grabbed me by the collar and warped the two of us to somewhere outside the woods.

"One thing, please get the mud out of your ears before we continue."

I went into the river as he requested and got most of the dirt and mud out. My white shirt however was stained tan.

"Now, feel better?" he asked.

"I'm soaked." I negatively replied.

His strong facial structure scrunched like he smelled something bad to my comment. He had grey eyes (probably blue in thanks to my colour blindness) which could cut through steel if he so chose. I felt his aura telepathically, evil as my eye can tell, but none of the less he saved me, so I had to give him something.

"I have to decided to give you my name Mashua, or do you prefer Takamitsu?"

"At this point I'd say Mashua." I replied. "Nothing too strenuous though I'd assume? How many syllables."

"Ryo Montonobu's the name… brother." His tone was serious.

"So you're from my fake home?"

"Yup, that greasy scumbag Ansoni got what was coming to him for getting caught in helping you out. He was executed just five days ago."

"Dead huh?" I looked to the trees. "That means they want me dead as well."

"Also, a body holds many secrets of information, even after being deceased. His family knew of his capture and left the city. Mostly by force due to the tolls of leaving were too great to meet."

"Wait how do you know of Ansoni?" I in disbelief. "You weren't from the land of Kusokagature."

"Maybe not, but I did get scammed by him."

"Right." Lightning popped like a whip in the distance. "Now for some information…"

"I only have interest in your kage."

"He's not my president keep in mind." "Now, you see the weather and its dramatic changes correct?"

"Yes."

"Most of his chakra contributes in stirring storms. The storms are what gives him his abilities. Electrical abilities derive mainly from three sources: Chakra, cloud friction, and magnetics. I gained my abilities through using chakra. The Raikage's chakra levels are well under par, so no storm means handicap for you."

"Interesting. Another reason for him not to be fit in the ranking system."

"It is a common sense note to not use metal melee weapons toward his Thunder armour and pure electric nunchucks."

"Nunchucks?"

"Yes, and if you get hit by most any of his moves once, either your head gets fried or you go into cardiac arrest. That's all I got." I concluded.

"Why thank you young man, I'm sure this will help me alot in the near future." Ryo started walking away from me.

"You and I pose the same enemy. I may not be of much help to you physically, and thank you for getting me out of the situation Ryo. Can you send me a letter or something when you kill him?"

"No promises Mashua."

 _Well, I tried to get him on my side. It was an unfair trade at best._

It dawned on me what just happened. I no longer will be able to be with team Gai unless things get settled. IF they'll ever settle again with what's going down…

"You mean to tell me that kid is only out for spreading your documented weaknesses and jutsus to the world? And that everything he does is just a cover up so people can side him over being the 'nice guy.' Seems illegitimate without more proof." The hokage explained. "It's been two and a half years my friend. If the information hasn't gotten out then you're safe."

"That is your belief, while mine poses a severe threat to the order of my country, and while I-"

"The only order your fat ass has for the country is tyrrany, terror, and public execution!"

"I now declare war between the Land of fire and Lightning." The Raikage concluded.

"Over an untied spill of insults and secrets. To call yourself Kage is an insult to your town and country!" I within ear and eyeshot saw the pent up aggression between the two's eyes.

The storms had a rather cold and wildly abrupt turn, taking with itself a typhoon of sorts. Winds exceeded 70 miles per hour. trees fell everywhere and bended like wet noodles, peeling away branches like a flaky cinnamon roll. The Raikage held his left hand high and summoned a weapon from the storm's energy. The Hokage gave two handsigns and either summoned or crafted a pair of Kodachi, dark silver and clean. The Hokage made quick work with the gap between them. Both were at a stalemate as far as physical strength was concerned, but Hiruzen had his opponent outwitted and out defended.

"Hmph, let's see you dodge this since you're so good!" The Raikage held an open palm face down and he swung downward. Lightning struck right where the hokage was, only he wasn't to be found in the attack. It was a decoy. A swift strike from behind somehow hadn't connected as both weren't shocked in one another's' abilities. I myself couldn't keep up with their speed if I tried. Both in hand combat seemed to possess more than two hands within their dexterity. There was mounds of intensity with every blow, either blocked or connected. THe Hokage was seemingly stepping back as though he wasn't winning the fight. I was not going to let Hirruzen get killed!

I raised my hands to steal what energy in the sky laying dormant. It vibrated through my arms and started forming over my chest. A yellow Aura engulfed my shirt and now consumed my shoulders. The storms grew less dark over my steal of energy. I felt unstable, like one sneeze would discharge to the ground or to those close by should they be sneaky enough. There was so much in the air, much more than I have in capability. I threw a bolt the Raikage's way but it missed, soaring ever so seamlessly and hitting a tree. I threw another, and another, timed excellently yet none hit.

"Mashua!" The Raikage yelled in a leap toward me.

"I am not afraid you vile tyrant!" I put all of the armour to a sword in similar shape of an enlarged Jian.

Our energies clash with sparks dispersing like a welding job. Immediately my arms started to buckle. I bit more than I could chew. I jumped backwards and the Hokage had delivered a devastating blow to the Raikage from the side. I felt the ribs crack on that man and flinched to his facial expression. I went to deliver a finishing move, one that would avenge my family's vein death. I felt the weight come down and the burden almost relieved. The Hokage simply swatted it away.

"No heart impure has the right to end another individual." He scolded.

With a quick thrust the skies dissipated and the life of that man had slipped from his grasp. The armour also dissipated from my being. I looked at the hokage and his face held sorrow as he read the deceased's mind.

"For many years he kept our nation in constant fear of war. I'll be honest and give you this much, he did not kill your family, it was of his corrupt henchmen. I seen many things today about you Mashua... No, don't hand me that headband- let me finish." I waited for him to finish reading. "There are seven in total affiliated with your clan's slaughter. As well, many other clans have fallen to his group. If we are to make peace with them now, I'm afraid the only thing we can do is kill who have rooted themselves in corruption."

"Otherwise, you slaining the Raikage with no return of knowable reason will cause the war to commense." I mumbled.

"Yes, Mashua."

"I'm at a loss to even appologize sir."

"There's no need-"

"Sir, I caused this damn war!" I shouted.

"Young man, I will not have you to blame yourself over what was done today. I would advise watching your mouth to who you're talking to."

"Then what did I do?" I held my emotion back poorly.

"You gave us an opening." He looked to the soul of my eyes.

Book II has begun, If you're wondering what's been going on, I advise reading _A Split Storm,_ otherwise have a good day. I'd like some input to better myself for mine and yours sake, so please, review or private messages are appreciated.

 ** _Reguards!_**


	2. Chapter 2

If you're lost on the story, I'd recommend reading _A Split Storm_ otherwise enjoy.

* * *

His eyes grew wide and shoved me to the side. I saw something similar to the size of a truck mow him down.

"Damnit he was my kill!" Ryo shouted.

 _Who, me? The Raikage? The Ho-_

"Mashua, take the letter and run." The Hokage demanded. _Where the hell did this come from?_

I did so without hesitation and headed for the city. Takamitsu was to be no more, hit by a truck sized boulder, smashed in the wall like a stepped on pancake. I shed the skin mask that Ansoni gave me and put my trusty ol' solid black mask on.

I showed up to the tower and handed the front office person the letter. She went wide eyed and gave a courteous nod of thanks before rushing out the door. Chatter was heard then twenty people left the building, it looked to be all the security guards left too…

 _1: No I can't look in the Hokage's belongings._

 _2: Yeah? Well what about info on your teammates to make sure they aren't spies like you almost made out to be?_

 _1: That was a fluke in the Raikage's part for leaving me twiddling my thumbs for THREE HOURS!_

 _2: Suuuuuure, now the way I see it you can learn alot about a special someone and learn about the third member Neji._

 _1: You shut your mouth about that, there's no way in hell am I?_

 _2: Aww but aren't you just a frustratinly curious guy over a-_

 _1:ENOUGH! Damnit… Ugh, Fine I'll go look around but if nothing's open I am leaving!_

 _2: Now that's better Mashua, you and I are dying to find some things out, consider it a lifetime opportunity._

I headed up the stairs against my curious judgement to find the door creaked open. I couldn't feel a soul within half a mile of me.

 _2: Well, it's open…_

 _1: $ &!%_

None of the drawers were open and thankfully locked. HIs desk had a nice thick stack, documentation of the chunin exams and notes of the preliminaries. I skimmed through most to find my team's evaluation… Sporadic. Uncontrolled. Blunt. That last one didn't seem too negative but we have a pretty bad reputation as of currently. A note in faded writing said:

 _Individually on par for C-ranked missions. Recommended heavy training on team coordination skills though exceptions may lie with sudden substitution's fault. Passing exams will be determined through team of three or_ _ **Four's**_ _unity. Depends if sub get's his act together in the final fight. Determined by sensei if he should fight. Regardless of number, team is to take on two Jonin to meet benchmark of teamwork efficiency before allowance of taking exams._

"Well that's lovely…" I remarked internally. "So a pop quiz of some kind…"

I put the folder and sheet back the best way I could. I couldn't find the individuals' list and silently headed out, leaving the door slightly cracked. Not a dust needed be unsettled on my departure. Not a ghost was in the tower as I went downstairs. I left the tower to find familiar faces not recognize me. I saw a few of the rookie nin in the training fields, looking for my group. Wait, Lee was injured… And I just took off the damn mask! As long as I don't run right into them I should be just-

 _Oh crap. Hinata's looking this way… I think she recognizes who I'm… not? She has those eyes that see into the soul of an individual so that means she already knows who I look like? Or has she realized that she saw this me running in the forest? So many damn questions, so little time, I need to run Now! Wait, she's raising an eyebrow… Have I gave too much eye contact?_

"Takamitsu?" Hinata asked.

 _Well…_

"You look a lot different, l-like your whole face changed…" _No, no no…._

"Did you have surgery on it or s-something?" Hinata, curious and studderful.

"Y…..yes, my jaw was dislocated and my nose was broke downward… This is how it's supposed to be." I lied, seeing her wrist cast and feeling quite terrible on what I had done.

"Okay, well um-." She paused.

"Do you know where my team is?"

"Neji and Tenten are three or f-four fields down."

"Thank you." I darted in that direction then for the trees. I tucked my mask higher and my headband lower to conceal more of my fake face. I then approached the two while they were on a break.

"Glad you could make it Takamitsu." Tenten seemed bright. "Here, Neji, this is Takamitsu. Takamitsu, Neji." Me and him shook hands, it felt pretty awkward.

"Your skin seems lighter than I remember… Eh, the lighting in the hospital is weird anyways." Tenten concluded.

"So you were my replacement while I was gone?" Neji seemed cold with his words.

"Well I wouldn't be so arrogant to say replaced…" I chuckled. "Believe me, we pulled each other by the skins of our teeth."

"Interesting…" he seemed sarcastic.

"So what happened to Lee?" I asked.

"He had to fight Gaara and got both of his arms and one of his legs crushed almost to dust."

"Damn." I replied.

"He still hasn't woke up."

"You think he ever will and if even recover?"

"Well I had my doubts even with you, but I'm glad you rebounded."

From there I mostly sat for my muscles ached from the strenuous use I had with them and observed their long due spars. From her facial expression, she was concerned for Lee, that of which never left her mind. I took off my backpack and laid back on it, consuming more sun as I pulled my mask down.

"Interesting weather, especially right near a test of our weather alert system." Tenten stoke a conversation.

"Indeed, it seemed it was changing every five minuits." Neji replied with a delivery of palm strikes, much like Hinata's except more aggressive.

"Maybe someone got married and God isn't sure if it's a good or bad ceremony."

"Right, because tornadoes mean that they were meant to be." I replied to Tenten.

"I'd call it coincidence more than God's weather blessing." Neji said.

"It's a funny wise tale Neji."

"Well I don't see much funny nor wise about it."I didn't think someone was more sheltered from social activity than I. The hell I was wrong. "Tenten you're not going to stand a chance if you don't stop your concern for Lee!"

"Well sorry you didn't get to see the pepe show of his bones turning to dust!" she swung a heavy right and broke Neji's guard."Not to mention his dreams as a shinobi and ever fighting again are next to none!"

Tenten's aggression overpowered Neji. "Not also to mention my whole damn team sustaining the near-death train ride all simultaneously!" She twisted 180º left and put her left hand with the dull kunai to his chest and sent him barreling back. Her breathing was deep and slow.

"Don't tell me not to worry about Lee." she walked back and sat next to me. "Thoughts?"

"He's more aggressive a fighter than Hinata." I replied. "Neji was right about your focus."

"You fought Hinata?" Neji scoffed. "And she put you in a coma..."

"NEJI I SWE-"

"Tenten, calm down, it's okay." I put a hand to her shoulder.

"*Sigh, alright Takimatsu, just trying to get through that thick skull of his to stand up for you."

"You see me right now?" I asked her.

"Uhuh, so what?"

"I'm choosing to sit."

"You know what I mean smart ass!" she slapped me, I assumed playfully.

"And you're taller than me from the waist up."

"You're just hunched over." she replied.

"Bull, Neji, who's taller from the waist up?"

"I can't believe you're arguing about this." she gumbled.

"Now you know how I feel." I replied. "I'm gonna head home and rest up to see if I can get some training done tomorrow. It was nice meeting you Neji."

"Likewise."

"See ya knobhead." She stuck her tongue out. I grinned in no reply. With that I trekked north to go home. I was stopped err guilted into stopping when I saw Hinata similar to me with my team, just not up to par.

"Hey, sorry about your wrist." I apologized.

"I-it's fine Takamitsu, at least you didn't break my wrist when you had the opportunity to do so."

"Hey there's that kid again lemme at him!" Kiba shouted and charging my way.

"He means no harm Kiba."

"Hinata, take a look at why you're not able to train. Do you expect me to let the one guy who nearly took off five of your digits to just walk on by?"

"Kiba." The guy in a trench coat grabbed Kiba's shoulder. "There's no worry, I know his type. He spared her wrist in case you don't remember the fight."

"Is there anything I can do to make up for what I've done?"

"Yes, you can simply leave, thank you, goodbye." Kiba spoke for Hinata.

"No Takamitsu, thank you for your concerns, but I'll be okay, h-honest."

"Stay safe." I said and continued north.

 _It's been a day… And at this rate, we'll barely make it as a team… Well, Neji seems fine, but Tenten was a hot mess today! Maybe she'll calm down once Lee stirs up again… or will he? Great, she's got me paranoid now. I'll sleep on it and hopefully not strain myself like today._

* * *

Not much to say today

 ** _Reguards!_**


	3. Chapter 3

Waking up early was one of the worst feelings, especially when I had to wake up for that job in whatever tool shop in the city.

 _I assume it's one Tenten works at? I wonder what hoops the Hokage was pulling after killing the Raikage?_

I approached the shop in the dead center of the city. It had a bounty of customers pass through it, plenty of which seem satisfied with what they buy when in there. The shop was nicely sized; big enough to encase variety, but not big enough to look like some supermarket.

"Takamitsu, meet Takeo." Tenten greeted me as I approached the front door. Her expression didn't seem the brightest to me. "Lucky I worked the guard station this time."

I held out my hand to shake and felt his grip be overpowering. "Glad to meet ya." His deep voice resembled his grip well. "From what she's told me you might need a few days rather than just show right up."

"I'll be okay, show me the works." Tenten gave me a nasty look. One more bitter than non flavoured cough syrup. I knew what went through her head though. _Don't overdo yourself, you woke from a coma not two days ago!_ I mocked internally.

I was led under the shop and it smelled strong of smoke, quarters, and lead. I was handed a welding mask and saw immediately why. The sparks of the grinding wheel mimicked the flying pattern of fireflies. Marks temporarily obstructed some of my view as I put the mask on thanks to the bright sparks. I then was met by some much older guy, the one on the grinder and he handed me the blade.

"Here sonny, tell me how good I did on this here blade." I felt it and thumped its side to reveal no resonance.

"Good metal, though, if I may be honest the polish and sharpening needs work."

"Well I'm glad you're eyes aren't as ignorant as the previous workers' ones. It kinda sucks to be blind, having only the ability to feel if it's smooth through callused fingers of the such."

 **Knock knock knock**

"Ehh, what was that sonny? You've got to speak up so I can hear them vowells you say."

"I'm here to speak with Takamitsu." The Hokage made an abrupt entry through the door with a glare to my direction.

"I don't quite remember a name as such here. Say is it that young whipper snapper next to me holding my rough work?"

"Why yes, carry on with your duties, leave the conversation between me and the young man… Please, come." He beckoned me to follow out the door. Regardless to my decision, I was prodded by a guard from his side to follow.

In the tower I and him sat alone in his office. We had a discussion of the Raikage, other clans, then the corruption of the Land of Lightning's government. He looked frustrated toward me, but he hasn't admitted it aloud.

...

"You have a half million figure bounty on that head of yours. And with all that's been explained, you know alot about the weakpoints that would be beneficial to the world against the land of lightning. How much are you willing to pay in order to share some of these top secrecies?"

"Given action would be taken against the country and not just the government." I knew this playing game too well.

"Ten million." I sat back in my chair… bluff or not, that was alot of damn money from the Hokage to offer.

"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong guy."

"Fifty-million." He seemed a little off from himself.

"I won't do it." I replied

"One Hundred million, plus a lifetime supply of free living quarters and food."

"For your information, to me, money and luxuries mean so little."

"You realize this information could turn their untied end into a scrambled egg? I won't have you keep this information from us all!" He slammed his fist on the table.

"Try as you might, this secret is to only be shared for the keeper's benefit. You'll have to pry these words from my dead body if you want them." His expression lightened. I had won the game.

"Yes, but why would you let out a few secrets to this unknowing person whom you haven't identified as hero nor villain?" he brought up.

"I had a payment to make for him getting me out of there, besides, information of a dead person serves amply little by comparison to a government skybox of floating islands covered by the clouds."

"How did you know he was to die today?"

"Frankly I wanted someone to do it, but luckily you did so for many people's sakes. The sooner he got hit the better, though I didn't know you were gonna hit 'em."

"Who else has been on this list of yours?"

"Three congressional staff members notoriously known for committing unfair acts against the poor and gaining immunity from impeachment thanks to money and cowardly staff members."

"So say I know these people you speak of."

"I didn't know underground politics was your thing."

"Word spreads around pretty quick once a dam bursts." To his statement, I felt a slight greater taste of something he wouldn't normally say. I tensed my facial muscles and fake sneezed to cover my expression shift.

 _Five-hundred Grand, is literally nothing to just sneeze at._

"I'm to tell you this, you can't trust anyone once they know who you really are on that wall. You've gotten lucky, damn lucky be it." He had an extensive pause. "But, luck does run out…"

With his mischievous grin and a chuckle, the guards busted through the door behind me. I looked back and dashed away from the guards and through the window. He scolded as I flew out of his and the others' grasp. My fall slowed in my head but velocity remained. I relaxed mid spin in preparation for the hard ground. To my surprise, I rolled downside a roof pitched around 45º, smacked my shoulder into the gutter of the house and derailed it flying more forward and finally fell into a bed of tilled earth and manure, the gutter mangling up my arm in the process. I still smacked my face pretty hard on the roof.

"AAaaaargh, damn kids again with my damn crops!" I noticed the gutter decapitated at least three rows of his rice crops. _Oops…_ "Hey, Get back here ya hooligain!"

I with a jerk, disconnected my arm from the gutter and took off shakily. I felt I was running on the side of the wall from the disorienting tumble and I veared drunkenly through an opposing directional crowd.

"Hey! Stop that kid with the mask!" The Hokage commanded. I felt a slight bit more resistance but no one stopped me in the crowd. A guy holding a large basket of bread stepped in front of the gap I planned to shoot through of people. I plowed through him with my good shoulder and his basket's belongings went everywhere along with him to the ground. I was finally through the crowd and felt my feet lighten up when my strides increased in length.

"He's too fast boss." one of the guards said.

"I will be addressed as the Hokage!" I heard him backhand the guard.

 _Surely, that's not the Hokage!_

I continued until I reached the forest near the patchy residential area. Not many people lived out here, hence there being less houses. Tenten lived near one of these, I think… No, I have no time to warn or even think of her right now… There's that Ryo guy out for me… But why? What have I done to piss him off?… The bounty!... or information… Then again, even if I'm brought back dead or alive, they'd execute the bounty hunter, for no chance of the secrets spilling. He either is a hunter or they're in midst of using Konoha's leader system to tie my loose end… But one thing remains true, that's not the Hokage.

By luck of the draw, I ran into a familiar green somebody.

"Gai sensei!" I exclaimed, sprinting in his direction.

"What's the big rush Takamitsu?"

"Run with me, I'll tell you." I called from behind.

" ***Sigh** , ah well why not." He caught up beside me. "What's up?"

"I was being chased and I'm not certain of what happened to the hokage." I then explained how he fought the Raikage then the guy named Ryo caught the Hokage off guard mid fight. The whole faculty of the tower left the building the previous night but nothing much happened over night. You know the gist…

"Who or what do I trust sensei?"

"Seems you first off need a disguise… I don't see how it's possible for the Hokage as well as the whole staff to be slain… or even captured unless there's more than one person up to this shenanigan. Second, we need to assemble as big of a team as possible and fast Takamitsu. Can I get you to get Tenten and Neji?"

"Yes sir." I replied.

"Alright we just passed her house, the blue house to the right. See you at the fields in five." He seemed to teleport forward in the distance, wasting no time.

 _Blue house… shit this is going to be difficult. White, white, grey… let's see the grey hopefully be it._

 _ ***Knock *Knock**_

"Takamitsu?" Tenten opened the door. "What did the Hokage have to tell you?"

About that, we have to get Neji and meet up at the fields, I'll tell you on the way."

"Ahem, you just barged in while my family's having dinner, asked me to tag along on something I have no idea what it's for or about, and basically made a no show for your first day of work today. Can you be any more rude?"

"I'll let you sign a consent form on our next field trip we have to go now!"

"Grrr… You owe me big time for leaving on my father's birthday! Dad, I'm going out again. Might be back late… again."

"Be careful. I don't want you hanging out with none of them boys ya hear?…" A voice called from the house.

"Dad!"

"Heh, I'm joking there pie, be safe." She slammed the door and followed me.

"Cute." I replied to the parental affection.

"It's annoying…"

"But that's what parents are for."

"I'll lead the way to Neji, you drop it and tell me what happened." And so I did aside from the Bounty and my real name like the story to Gai.

"Team Kurenai, Kakashi, and Asuma, I am afraid to announce the Hokage and his staff members have either wandered away from the village or are captured under some greatly mischievous powerhouses. We are to prioritize finding the Hokage, then we can free the rest of the group later. Understand?" To Gai's words everyone uttered a yes sir.

"Good, now, you grunts stay here while Kakashi, Kurenai, and I go hunting. Asuma, keep an eye so our group doesn't get ambushed just in case."

"Yeah, I've got you covered."

"Good, be back in ten." And the three vanished.

"I thought this was supposed to be important…" Her head was steaming and I knew she was about to throw punches.

"Hey, Gai is the one initiative to not let us go yet." I defended. "And might I add that they captured the HOKAGE, not some randomly dashing ninja. None of us know what we're in for."

"No signs of the Hokage or staff members." Kurenai and Kakashi said.

"Have we checked in the tower?" I asked.

"Well, about the only place to check would be in the village city." Gai contemplated.

"Alright, we need a distraction and search party. Takamitsu, you've been compromised so you won't be able to take part in this. Since Kurenai's team also have only two members, hers and my team will assimilate for the time being. Asuma's team, I want you to guard the entrances, stall any suspicious individuals the best way you can. Kakashi's team, I want you to be the distraction, make a ruckus or whatever up in the tower. Shino, I'll need you to make a sweep of the tower's insides before our double team barges in to release those in there."

"Sir, I'm sure my bugs are capable of eating through many objects such as rope, string, even metal."

"Good, once you locate and free them, we can escort them out. Team Kakashi, once we find them, your situation might get hot. Consider ALL targets as hostile until rightly proven otherwise. Do not engage until we find the hokage unless we have been comprimised. Questions or comments?"

"No sir." We all replied.

"Fantastic. Takamitsu, head for what you think may be safe near the training grounds. I or your teammates will notify of what happens afterwards. Kakashi, you're to enter first. Asuma, you patrol the outskirts and cue when Gai goes in. Let's move."

And so I was left alone once again to my own thoughts. I took the headband off and sat on a log near the fields, gazing to my own reflection through the metallic square. I turned on and off the Kusakegro rapidly, seeing how the colour oozes between normal and activated stature. I hope they make it.

"Mashua." a familiar voice called.

I grabbed a kunai from my pocket and stanced defensively in the direction of the sound. The Hokage stood, dirty robes and all, pacing slowly towards me.

"How am I to know you're real?" I yelled in frustration.

"Mashua…" he said softer.

"Stay back!" I trembled. Anger fueled me. "Not another damn step."

His pace halted, his left foot ahead of his right, remaining stiff.

"I know what you must be thinking. I may assure you Mashua, I am the real hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. I have been keeping a close tab of you."

"Don't you dare! I know you're not real!"

"Please, just listen, this was a test for the other Genin-."

"You don't have my patience." I scanned the area around me. "But you do have my attention."

"I settled things with the Land of lightning, killed a few bugs here and there."

"Will there be war?"

'People cheered for the man's death, I hopefully think not."

"Why should I trust what you say?"

"Perhaps an exchange of what I know about your clan will gain your trust…" His stance softened and wasn't defensive nor offensive.

"The Tadashi clan was smart and efficient, too much so for the good of your village." I still remained tense. "Your, ahem, Kusakegro, is that? It opens paths between the two lobes and sends your sensory into overdrive, many individuals experiencing different levels of physical, mental, or subconsciously reflexive boosts to one's processive mind. This bloodline had four branches: The Intelligent, the Acquisition, the Fighter, and the Precursor."

"What do you know of my father?" I asked.

"Your father was a very smart man of his time." He spawned a folder which had many writings and a picture of him stapled to the front. "His golden eye potentiality granted him access to join the ranks of the Precursor, giving him the ability to hone and develop the mind to acquire the 'triforce of sight', though, many of his writings have stated that he couldn't obtain the intelligence factor beyond his normal bounds. He simply hid that he had only mastered the other two behind his already high IQ. Anything else necessary of him are right in this envelope."

"In the earlier days of your clan, two out of fifteen individuals had acquired this ability, and it seemed only normal to think that what you had was what you will have for the rest of your life ability wise. Later, the ones with massive boosts of intelligence pre bloodline activation, such as your father, found ways around the 'you have it or not' phase, and found a reasonable methodology to gain the triforce. Before the clan was wiped out, sixty percent of wielders of the Kusakegro had at one point unlocked the triforce potential, though five percent of them were Precursors, true geniuses who maintained this state. Your clan was in development too quickly for your government's liking and had almost established itself as a proficiently adept race, beyond the normal being. It scared many people, but more specifically, higher government."

"If my clan was so high and mighty, then why did they **all** die? Why was I the only survivor? Who killed us all?"

"You wasn't the only one who lived. Those who swore allegiance to the ruler got the privilege of surviving. Who all killed everyone is still tough to figure even with all the information I gained. The betrayers at first were assassins, creatively killing few at a time, but the leader said he's tired of waiting and the fighters went on a mass cleaning spree of the Tadashi name with the help of elites from five different clans."

His eyes had no deviation. My trust, fully kept with every word. "The Raikage wasn't the head of this?"

"Sadly… No." Hiruzen's answer struck a bad chord in my chest, one with distraught and stupidity.

"So there's five left?"

"Counting the Raikage and 'Ryo,' yes Mashua. But you don't need to pursue this evil. There's too much at stake to risk so many other lives over one clan, and even be it, five people; grown up, much past your skill level, and alot less heartful." He handed me the folder. "As a word for the village, the names your father mentioned are in here. Should you pursue for them, I will personally exile you from our village for the security and benefits of many others. Should you slain your enemies without being caught, the penalty applies same."

"So the Raikage was responsible?"

"Partially."

"What can I do to help stop this?"

"There isn't much left quite honestly."

"How about my bounty?"

"I recently took off those papers, Konoha isn't filled with hardly any bounty hunters, so no worries."

"There were." I denied.

"Oh?"

"Someone faked being the Hokage, knew well of my bounty, and tried to capture me in your tower previous."

"Wait, how many tried to?"

"Three or four, it was a blur to me."

"Oh no." He took off in the direction of the tower. "Don't get involved Mashua, I'll get this settled."

"If I were to be slain by anyone Tadashi,"

"-They would execute whoever else lived." The Hokage finished my sentence.

Again left to myself with what seems like the world coming apart to me… I looked in the folder to read through my dad's bio. He had great things said about his family. I continued to the clan's kekkei genkai. I was a mix between the acquisitioner and fighter, only able to activate one of the two individually, not combined. He said I posed a thirty percent chance of unlocking

The triforce of sight. _I wonder if he's biased on his numbers…_

 _ ***3rd person the tower and the mission.**_

"Hey lord Hokage!" Naruto blurted.

"Quiet you idiot!" Sasuke smacked the back of Naruto's head.

"I'm just being myself Sasuke, jeez."

"So am I baka." Sakura giggled to Sasuke's remark.

A guard by the door peered into the eyes of Kakashi's team. Kakashi followed up behind the three genin and eye-smiled to the guards. "Kids these days." The guard chuckled and opened the door.

"Well if it isn't the team to surprise the whole land of fire, what can I do for you?" The Hokage had his back turned away in the chair, lighting his pipe.

"Yes, Naruto and Sasuke would like to withdraw from the chunin exams." Kakashi answered.

Both Genin gave a surprised glare toward Kakashi, Naruto's mouth agape. Sakura smacked both their shoulders simultaneously.

"Surely not, Kakashi." The hokage's tone was agasp as well. "But you know, there's alot of paperwork you, they, and I have to go through with witnesses in order to get this process done!"

"I'm well aware sir, we as a team thought thoroughly through this before deciding to withdraw."

"Well, in that case, let me get somebody to bear witness in the documents…" the hokage rose and exited the door himself.

"Kakashi have you gone insane?" Naruto whispered.

"Assuming this isn't the real Hokage, you have nothing to worry about Naruto." Kakashi's face lightened up. "Besides, what is better a distraction than a long one such as this?"

Sakura took the pen from the Hokage's deck and threw it out the window, as for a convenient signal and a good measure for stalling the documentation processes.

...

"Alright Shino, get me eyes of the tower." Gai mumbled out at Tenten's shop. The two buildings were quite close a the mix of Team Kurenai and Gai stayed there..

Shino extended his right arm to the power pole and let the black bugs climb over and across on the power line. They, in line of the dark cracks of the Tower's mortar, scurried through the window to see team Kakashi. Three scattered in the room where the rest seeked the door through the shadier cracks. The Hokage's office was well sealed so things could only get through the door or windows. A line waited at the door for it to open but it remained closed. Kakashi noticed and opened the door to aid their progression. The Hokage coincidentally came back as Kakashi opened the door with about two-hundred pages of paper. Three, five… nine barely squeezed by the door as it was quickly shut, smashing two bugs in the line between the door and the frame.

"Damn." Shino spoke aloud.

"What's wrong?" Tenten asked.

"I only have nine in the building where thirty are still in his office." Shino replied.

"We'll have to make do with it Shino. How many guards do you see?" Gai analyzing the next move.

"Three went into the office, there are none guarding the door outside."

"God have mercy…" Gai concluded.

…

"I thought I had a pen on my desk. Bah, oh well. Kakashi would you have a writing utensil on you by chance?"

"Why certainly. Why wouldn't I have one if we weren't to pull through with withdrawing?"

"That eye of yours certainly sees more than what actually meets it." Both Kakashi and the Hokage chuckled.

The documentation begun and Shino's bugs had only travelled down the staircase halfway. It wasn't a race, more or less snail's paced and dull. The mission went from detrimentally problematic to what feels like counting ceiling tiles and pencil pushing.

"I found one guard at the north entrance." Shino announced.

"Copy, looks like entering will be a drag after all." Shikamaru replied.

"Team Asuma, my bugs would be too noisy to drill an entryway to the tower. Can I get one of you to open the door?"

"Good thing I made a letter." Shikamaru confirmed a timed opening to be imminent.

"I need one that flies around." Shino let loose some colorful bug with wings to the door. "This'll clear out the rooms much more quickly."

"Alright I'm going in." Shikamaru signaled. The door was opened wide and Shikamaru popped his neck before entering, looking as lazy and bored as ever. "This letter is for the Hokage."

The door shut just a bit too soon and the bug plopped behind the door. It gripped the door and remained near the opening. Shikamaru handed the letter and went out the door. Success, the bug made it in.

"Alright, i'm now searching the room behind the office… Nobody. Next… Nothing. There's stairs that lead downward, should I take them Gai?" Shino, offering his sight.

"Yes, and how are the other crawlers?" Gai contemplating.

"3/4ths of the way downstairs."

"Good, I want you to set a trap on the third stair if that's possible, and warn Kakashi's team about the trap."

"I can try to make that happen." Shino did as ordered. "I count five enemies total in the building so far."

...

One guard stood at the broken window, one at the door, and one signed as witness bearer in the forums. Shino's bugs formed a shape that said **3rd** with a two step staircase over an exclamation point. Kakashi and Sakura noticed the writings but Naruto and Sasuke were too deep in paperwork to notice the signal.

" _Oh boy they got something fun planned here soon."_ Kakashi thought.

* * *

Fun indeed! Soon, not so much. I'm having to kick my music practice into high gear these next few weeks so I'll be unfortunately slow with what's coming up.

Hope you enjoy and most of all-

 _ ***Reguards!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_***1st person Mashua (Takamitsu)**_

An hour later in the day, I laid on the ground in anxious boredom. Thinking about what's been happening has me worried sick, especially the Hokage's reaction to what doesn't seem all as planned. I debated for most of the time whether or not to see what's going on, though everyone told me to stay put… I want to see what's going on. What if they get in trouble? In my condition there's not much that I can contribute! Argh! Why am I not able to just continue? God, why am I so far behind?

" _You'll never feel like you've done enough. That was what pushed the Tadashi clan higher than the whole land of lightning. The intellect of us is so great, it splits into you, curiosity, and interrogation."_

My father and I assume many clan members figured that we had more than one mind working under our skulls. It explains the voices and my debate of choices to make. It explains the intellect, few in which my clan possessed. It shows my lack of control… It's why I'm going to help my team and friends.

 _1: "You're going to kill yourself!"_

 _2: "So, what if your teammates die? You know it's your fault that they are in this situation!"_

 _1: "You don't know that! What if this was some big test the heads of Konoha set up for the Genin?"_

 _3: "Hiruzen's face does not lie Mashua."_

 _2: "But the method of how we were to test does."_

 _1: "Stop!"_

 _2 & 3: "No."_

 _1: "I will not endanger then over my safety!"_

 _2 & 3: "Good, then you'll stay quiet!"_

 _1: "I am the controller of my own body! I will not have you derivatives consume me!"_

From a pouch, I pulled out a kunai and put it to my arm, ready to cut vertically. I stopped in my tracks and stood there.

 _2: "Now let's think this through together."_

 _1: "I thought you said keep quiet."_

 _3: "Killing yourself will get us nowhere!"_

 _1: "You're not quite correct on the_ _ **US**_ _part."_

 _2: "He's right… Ridding of himself will result in a guranteed salvation of his friends from the other ex-clan in the Tower."_

 _3: "How do you suspect they are in the tower?"_

 _2: "Who else would be?"_

 _3: "If you're just going to kill yourself, why don't you just turn yourself in for them and save your teammates the hassle?"_

 _1: "You make a good point."_

 _1, 2, & 3: "Then it is settled. We go together and turn ourselves in."_

I approached the tower and passed by Tenten's shop/ my now soon to be ex-job. I saw the door slightly cracked open, the glass showing a figure or two being consumed by black bugs. I walked to the side with the broken window above and shouted at it.

Nothing from the tower appeared to budge, not even the door. I broke the glass of the door and walked in the building while the trench coat guy was fighting another person. The bug man's enemy lost his concentration on the fight watching me and he was fully consumed. I saw his golden eyes for a second before he was buried. Indeed, it was them. One of the guards was running down the stairs with a malicious grin when he saw me. He paused a few steps up. "What a pleasant surprise Mashua!"

 _1: "There's no point of turning yourself in now, you have to fight."_

With four hand signs, I spawned a mid sized Jian with my chakra glowing yellow. I felt time shift into slow motion as he stepped down, my Kusakegro activated as he was on the fourth step. I wielded the blade at a 45 degree angle up to my left and waited for his approach. The third step was loaded with something and went off on the enemy before I could think. He was launched to the roof and remained there by some sort of yellow slime, sticky as all get out! He hadn't moved, maybe he went unconscious. I stabbed the heel of the foe, no response.

 _He's out cold. Wait, the Hokage should have been here by now and dealt with this!_

I was wary of my steps upward as there could be many more traps set. Luckily, none set off as I slowly versed up the stairs. I held the blade tightly and barged through the doors. No one here… It was still and quiet. I saw the floor have a few drops of blood on the ground. It stopped three boards from the door. I threw a board from its hinge and saw more bugs consuming some bodily figure. Some left and crawled to the door. A big X marked over the whole door. I assumed they told me don't go through it. What is this? A prank?

Sasuke crawled from the broken window in the building, seemingly exasperated. The bugs on the door formed an exclamation point. I dove for the underpath under the boards. Sasuke looked to go for under the desk. The Hokage had fresh robes on and moved to the desk. I saw that what he wore was not the armor Sarutobi normally wears.

1: "Do I help out Sasuke, or do I let him have one as payback for our previous encounter?"

2: "I say you let him have his moment with him."

3: "Absolutely not! Sasuke will get creamed by this guy!"

1: "Well, what will it hurt to spook this guy?"

2 & 3: "All of us."

I shoved the boards upward and startled the 'Hokage' and his eyes immediately widened as well as turned gold.

"You think you're going to be free when you kill me?" I exclaimed. He extended both arms upward to his side and a wave of water was visible behind the windows.

"They just want us dead because we are too much of a threat to the government and homeland!" I tried to be convincing.

The waves burst through the glass as Sasuke went in for the takedown. Immediately, Sasuke cut both hamstrings to the enemy and rolled to avoid the blunt of the waves crashing in. The enemy was not listening. Everything dropped and nearly went pitch black in the slush the water formed. Sasuke looked at me wide eyed and held an arm out with a grunted 'meh' before I could see what was behind me. The waves took me under as my breath also was knocked out of me. My ears heard the deafening speed the water had around me, forming into some kind of bubble. Sasuke didn't hesitate to stab the floored individual holding a hand sign. He should have cut the man's arms in my opinion. Black rims were closing in on my sight, I needed air and fast. Sasuke tried and tried to kill him quicker. It wouldn't happen, his and my struggles were pointless, I wasn't gonna get out of this one till he knew I was deceased. From behind, five or six Narutos barged into the bubble and forced me out to once again breathe. I gasped and coughed up plenty of liquid from my lungs as the Narutos took my place.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He commanded, and the bubble was outgrown within itself and dispersed from twenty of himself.

"The hell are you doing here idiot?!" Sasuke spat.

"Hey, I'm the one who saved Takamitsu!" Naruto yelled back.

"Not you baka, the other kid."

"I found the Hokage but apparently he decided not to stop by." I said.

"Who are these people?" Sasuke asked me. "And I thought the Hokage was taken hostage!"

"This man's robes were too clean." I clarified. "I saw him almost right after you guys left."

"So now you decide to show up?" Sasuke retorted.

"You all told me not to show up here."

"So it took you that long to decide…"

"I don't see you getting cremated by some assassin in the building."

"Yeah, and I don't see you drowning."

"Well played." I turned my back, nodded to Naruto in thanks, and searched the office. "Do you know where the rest of the others are?"

"Yes, but I couldn't follow where Kakashi and Sakura went. By Shino's intel, they all are in the basement region which contains fifteen rooms much like the size of this office." Sasuke replied.

"Are they okay?"

"Everyone's been spared but are either hogtied, unconscious, or both."

I hurried down the stairs and found Shino trapping two enemies under some complex web design.

"Have you seen the Hokage?" I asked Shino.

"Well Mashua, answer my question first." His tone was enraged. "What's your real name?"

"We have null time currently! I'll settle us and everyone about me later!"

"How am I to know you're not the enemy?"

"I have a grudge this one's on our side." Sasuke affirmed to Shino.

"To answer, no Mashua, not once."

We four travelled downstairs and Shino and Naruto swept out 10 rooms. Sasuke and I each searched two rooms. A great blunder to all of us that we had only one room left to look through, even with two entrances. Naruto and I were on one side and Shino was with Sasuke. Me and Naruto barged in guns ablaze to find two individuals standing with many tied up around, shoulder to shoulder. Naruto went to stall the remaining two guards while I tried finding the Hokage. Nope, no robes, no helmet, nothing to recognize him from.

"No sight of the Hokage!" I yelled. Suddenly, a golden eyed figure blazed through three Narutos and went for my throat. My arm had barely caught the bloodthirsty kunai. Shino and Sasuke burst through their entrance and started cutting some shinobi loose. I couldn't swing my right arm outward, regardless of pain, it was a ceasing function. The Jian I had, shrunk itself in forming an arm shield.

"Pleasant surprise that we find here Ma-." I couldn't let him finish that sentence as I dug into the arm that forced a kunai into mine. I felt the kunai on bone grind but I shoved relentlessly in opposition. He and I both yelled out as both our blood traits were activated. I had gained a little space from him. I Formed three hand signs and performed my lightning clone jutsu. Worst comes to worst, I stun my enemy for someone else to get. I had four total made and retreated two clones behind with the real me and a clone fighting frontward. I handed the clone my Jian as one did to the other back person. The dual wielders formed theirs individually it into one larger sword. He went for the wielder in the back, his struggles almost overpowering to my situation.

"How did you know this one was me!" My clone cried out.

"Clone jutsus are only used defensively for the purpose of say catching a break. I know those tricks all too well." His martial art capabilities were well above my own, but he fell sly to the stolen idea of Naruto's element of surprise.

"Besides, what idiot would waste his chakra on a weapon for clones?" To my clone, he throat punched him through the Jian and the clone dissipated as a great shock charge to the enemy. I and the other unarmed opponent were observing every move. The other wielder clone jumped onto the back of the stunned foe and self destructed, discharging all its energy to subdue the foe. The enemy fell to the ground and his muscles occasionally spazzed out. It was a direct hit.

"Takamitsu!" Naruto yelled out. But it was a little late. The last enemy had decapitated my last clone, fortunately only cutting a log and sticking to it..

"Damn!" He yelled out. My clone discharged on his metallic weapon and travelled up his arms. He went stiff just standing there and three Naruto's decked him across the floor. Shino had a few bugs from his group neutralize the two enemies in this web like his previous targets.

Sasuke and Shino had freed everyone, but there were a lot still out cold. Sakura managed to revive everyone.

"I see you've done pretty well for yourselves, and mind I say exceptional work Mashua." one of the guards said. Faces lit up with confusion from the name. Neji, the hokage, and the Jonin were undisguised from the guard attire. "As for you Kakashi, I must say your team is in no doubt ready for what's coming up."

"Wait, Mashua?" Neji interrupted. "You mean the nin who has a six figure bounty on his head from the Land of lightning?"

"Let me explain a few things before you conclude yourself about him Neji. He was under my orders to help out your team. I know that he had something on his head before, but with sincerity, I guarantee, _that_ number is a lie if anyone turns him in. They, the land of lightning, are a hot mess of desperation of keeping secrets Mashua withholds, and will go so far as to kill the messengers and caretakers if it means a lesser chance of the documents spreading. So far, this young man has yet to disappoint me and his team. His heart is true, I will bet my life on it, as his wounds in battle have already proven his courageousness, valor, but mostly inability to dodge." The Hokage monologued, but I grinned to that last statement.

"Are these the assassins that killed my family?" I asked the Hokage.

"No, I was overshot for judging their abilities. They wouldn't rank past a decent chunin sadly. These were former Tadashi clan members as you seen, but no, they hadn't directly killed the clan… -but they were remotely responsible for exploiting their own weaknesses to the Raikage and assassins of the hierarchy government."

Gai approached me. "How are you taking the news?" I asked Gai.

"Huh? I knew this stuff the whole time kiddo." He held a thumbs up and a flashy grin. "I figured rolling with whoever the Hokage called you was my safe bet to call with. What's news to me is that you were a target for bounty hunters."

"Gai, we have been over this topic many times…" The hokage sighed.

* * *

And a wrap for today... Opinions? I'm thinking this would fall under mystery... right? Meh, not sure when I'll update again. Comments or critiques are **_VERY_** well appreciated.

 ** _Regards_** _ **! *snaps and points to the hurricane Cindy, ruining my vacation! :(**_


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto Uzumaki, in three days time, is going for my throat at the last of the chunin exams. Gai was the sadistic individual who kept asking if I were ready for the exams. I being the idiot I was, said this, and in quote, "Whoever is next can come at me!"

Whom he said I was first facing made my organs hit my feet. I'm glad I wasn't there for the drawing but some arse just had to OD me on painkillers.

2: Complaining is not the solution!

1: Yes, but you admit that the person was an idiot!

2: Whatever, It'd be nice to eventually respond to sensai's Uzumaki bombshell!

"You're kidding me sensai!" It took me a while to utter a response.

"No Takamit-... Mashua. I'm afraid not, but there still is time. That's why I asked if you were determined. You've a long ways before the exams and Tenten's also gotten much stronger since the exhibition. She's with Neji right now so we can focus on the game plan at hand. How's your ninjutsu?"

"It works as usual. It takes a lot of chakra and I'm winded usually after the third summoning." I replied.

"Well, from my view it looks like you don't have much storage for your chakra reserves, and the techniques you use are well above your league, not to mention, quite the taxation. Maybe if you learn a bit of Genjutsu, by the time the tournament comes around, you might have a few surprise attacks toward some of your opponents."

"Is there a way to better my reserves before the tournament?" I asked.

"There is a way, but we don't have enough time for it to help now. You have enough physical stamina that you shouldn't worry too much about three matches, though you barely have enough chakra for even one. This calls for an overhaul on taijutsu and a little side bit of genjutsu."

"Where do we begin sensai?"

"First I want you to waste all your chakra, and by that I also mean overdo it too."

With four hand signs, ending on a Ram, I formed a full suit of electric armour, a moderate sized shield, and an oversized Jian. The wind picked up around, and the chakra used to make this was massive, well beyond any rationality to perform over any circumstance. I clenched and pumped more chakra out to thicken the armor. It looked bulky and horrid but had no actual weight to it. A few seconds passed and the growth started diminishing. My chakra had the 'low fuel' light activate, the feeling of major exhaustion. The armor became paper thin, the shield broke like a lifesaver long due to be crushed by the tongue. The only thing which remained was my sword. It remained stable for another ten minutes. It then shrunk down to a small dagger. My left hand was trembling in trying to hold the dagger in a stable shape, it wavering due to the inefficiency of chakra given. I grabbed my left wrist with the other hand, trying to stabilize it. To a negative effect, it finally shrank to nothing, my body calling itself completely out of chakra.

"Alright, how do you feel?"

"Kaput." I replied. "Tingly and hollow."

"Well good, now that you pulled all the stop cards with your jutsu, you've got one to a few hours before your next match. The One after you is Gaara vs Sasuke. Here's where this nice genjutsu I've done some research comes in handy."

Gai performed three handsigns: horse, dog, then snake. With a slight raise of his right hand, he held it, face open, behind but toward the sun. Nothing was said from him, only a flash of light came from his hand and the sun's direction. I turned my head left to block the blinding light and put my hand up to cover the light but it failed, at least to my right eye.

"I'm not much of a genjutsu user as the next, forgive me, but this technique can shine through matter and stun your opponent for a good while, enabling you to create a blindspot for the win."

"How did the light go through my hand?" I squinted, my eyes saw nothing except white on the right.

"The sheer power of chakra... but mostly the sun."

"Boy doesn't that make life easier!" I still dealing with the repercussions feel the great affect this jutsu.

"You don't need the sun for this to work. I will warn that it's easier to perform with the sun around."

"Alright, let's see… Horse… Dog… Snake… Then I lift my-" _***FWASH**_ Right in my face it went off.

"You catch on damn quick Mashua!" Gai exclaimed. "And that's why you had you drain your chakra first. One split second of pulling your hand up too late and you've stunned yourself. Luckily, that wasn't near as powerful as it could be."

"Wait, so it could blind me like, permanently?"

"Only if you're stupid enough to look at it from a point blank distance at its base strength. It's design was to stun, _not_ disable. Give it another shot, but this time, try to keep it from your face."

"Horse, Dog, Snake, Shoot!" I lifted my hand up and extended it as far as it'd go and it flashed again, my eyes closed in defence of my own jutsu. I felt my abdomen tuck and my head slammed into my knees. I was propelled backward and hit a tree. Gai had hooked me in the stomach while my eyes were closed!

"Don't keep such an opening for them in case it doesn't work Mashua. You get the concept now, let's move on to working on something a little long overdue for you…" His dramatic pause put me on more edge. "Dodge!"

There was no time for even the reaction, his speed had surpassed my comprehension of physics and I was flattened at fault.

"You weren't ready for what was coming." _No shit Sherlock!_ "Any alive shinobi will tell you awareness is key, but there are multiple forms of awareness one must overcome if he is to have the edge in battle. First there's direct awareness."

He threw the exact same punch but much more slowly. I lead the fist right and he twisted his abdomen to enable a swinging high kick, led by the heel. My left hand stopped the kick, inches from my face. "In this stage, obvious movement is computed in your mind from your opponent, which, if caught too often in this stage will slow reaction time to sudden changes in an opponent's fighting style."

Gai pulled out a kunai and threw it toward my head. I ducked to avoid it as it pegged a tree not two inches from my back. "Then, we have situational awareness; awareness in one's surroundings in the midst of battle. Ask yourself, 'How can I manipulate the battlefield to my advantage?' The answer is too late, your opponent has already learned the field and has trapped you."

I grabbed the deeply rooted kunai and pulled my body upward with a kick in similar fashion to an uppercut to Gai. It hit and he was propelled backward. I flipped upside down and planted both my feet to the tree in preparation to launch at him in mid air.

"Lastly, there's direct situational awareness of your opponent and in both's surroundings." He called from my right, subconsciously notifying me that the airborne Gai was a fake. He had jumped for me and I propelled myself forward into the Gai I had hit first. Turns out the first Gai wasn't a fake and planted his foot firmly into my shoulder, setting up the identifiable fake Gai to take me down. As his foot released, I wrapped my arms around it to suppress the momentum that would have carried me into another devastating blow.

"Be careful of your surroundings Mashua." Gai warned. Below me was trip wires. To what they set off was to be figured out soon enough. I hit the wires as I landed and Kunai darted toward me above the wire's path. I rolled, stumbled, and did not quickly recover. The crudely cloned Gai and the normal Gai had each of their hands touching my jugular and windpipe. I was winded, most likely from the chakra exhaustion.

"Looks like you still had reserves after all Mashua." Gai said. "Your eyes had flashed when you hit the ground against the traps." I certainly hadn't noticed a change of pace that the eyes normally bring. Usually, I can think quicker with the world slowed, though my muscles don't get this speed boost that the fighting branch gets.

"But sensei, if I use any more chakra for jutsus instead of avoiding your attacks, I'll hit the floor!"

"I know, I was testing how far from the edge of ultimate exhaustion you can get to. Your control is impressive! But, sadly, your energy reserves are quite under par." Gai continued. "Physically, you're able, but spiritually, you need something, but I don't know what… Until then Mashua, I'd say this lesson has gone far enough. Get some rest, you'll need it."

He rustled my hair before he parted. "One last thing. The Hokage wants a word before the final exams. He told me to let you know he was having lunch today at Ichiraku ramen."

"Seems rather cheap for the Hokage doesn't it?" I joked.

"Yes, but even if cheap, it is mostly good." Gai waved.

"How are you Mashua?" The hokage greeted me as I went through the sheets.

"Tired, Gai sensai had made me use 99.9% of my chakra reserves."

"Here, sit." He had me a bar stool saved. "We've a lot to conversate before the exams if you don't mind."

"Go ahead." I replied.

"Are you aware of the 'Will of Fire?'"

"Not really."

"Well Mashua, it has a name, and I've seen decent quantities of it in your eyes. That day when you killed someone over trying to find your team… I could tell, you wasn't thinking about the job, nor did you want to kill that person. You only wanted to save your friends. Even though your job was to assist them in obtaining their chunin rank, you've gone so far as to risk your life for their safety. That alone is beyond what I've asked of you. That last thing your team faced was more or less, a test of your will, to prove to the elders that you held feelings necessary to remain in the village."

"Wait, so were those fakes that we all fought?" I asked.

"Actually no, but the Jonin: Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma were much more easily capable of disabling them before getting at any of the Genin. It seems there wasn't much to worry about in your clan's betraying assassins." He took a long sip from his tea. "Anyways, I brought you here because I know you're confused about what's been going on. You no longer have the bounty nor burden of Kumoga under you, as the civil war that is taking place there may enable a better restart of their communities."

"They're fighting back at the government?" I received my usual curry from Ichiraku with a smile but only picked at it with a fork.

"With the help of my word spreading in their community, and their leader being so easily beaten, yes."

"Are they likely to fight us?"

"Not for a while I'd say. They have to settle matters at home before they unify again." He poured more tea as a pause. "But, the Will of fire in the heart of Konoha desires no deception, no corruption, only peace within its surrounding communities. Resolution I guess would be a better word here, since peace was quite impossible a bit earlier, especially while during the exams."

"So why didn't you leave me to be a rogue ninja like those with bounties on their heads like I was?"

"To be honest kid… It was more of a gut instinct than a thought out choice. If Kumoga wasn't so out of whack, I'd have taken you as a viable threat. Honestly, befriending those on their wanted list drew a certain amount of dark humor to which I liked exploring into."

"So I'm in other words,-"

"A miracle." He lightened up. "A shot so far in the dark, no one will at first believe the legends given without a grand explanation. Mashua, I am beyond, without doubt, that you are ready to be taken into this village."

 _Miracle wasn't the word I was thinking._ I thought.

"You were better known as the cheap distraction to keep Kumoga from declaring war on us. For preventing something that may have killed tens of thousands of lives in the future, that is why I'm so acceptive of your presence in this village."

"I didn't think of it like that, why did you two have a grudge for war before?"

"An affair with the Hyuga clan, but don't expect any info from me on that subject." He emptied the pot completely now. "Anyways, the Chunin exams. You know Naruto, yes?"

"A little." I paused.

"Just a small tip, the boy might be blunt, head on, and excessively loud, but he's a genius deep down when it comes to a pinch. Also, here's the final list you never got to see from the Chunin exams."

 **Naruto vs. Takamitsu**

 **Temari vs. Tenten**

 **Shino vs Shikamaru**

 **Gaara vs Sasuke**

"All I wish you is the best of luck. Bring your 'A' game no matter the circumstances." He parted the restaurant with a wave, I assume back to the tower or he's wandering the streets of Konoha to clear his mind. I for one haven't had the time to catch up with what all happened after the Chunin preliminaries.

 _Clearing my mind… That's something long overdue._


	6. Chapter 6

Judgement day, otherwise known to me as the final leg of the Chunin exams. I had gotten the flash jutsu down with a few headers from Gai and meditated for the remainder of yesterday. Today was it, I had no other alternatives to accomplish. It was one hour short of high noon, and everyone except Naruto and Sasuke were to be found. I heard rumblings near the entrance. A scream. Suddenly, Naruto himself penguin slid from the entranceway to us, rather impressive for how far he slid.

"Guys, run! There's a herd of stampeding bulls near the entrance of the stadiu-..."

"Naruto, cut your act before you embarrass the rest of us." Shikamaru sighed, interrupting the blonde genin.

"Heh, but seriously… There's… I guess… Egh." Naruto kept double looking to the entrance, only to find no one or animal followed in.

"Alright, knock it off. Present yourself proudly and stand up straight." A Jonin in front of us commanded.

The hokage stood to the railing in front of his chair. "Welcome all! And our deepest thanks for coming here to the village hidden in the leaves for this year's chunin selection. We have come to the final competition between the eight candidates who made it through the preliminaries. We ask that no one leaves until all the matches have been completed. Now enjoy!"

The jonin snapped his hand to gather the genin's attention. "The terrain's slightly different but the rules remain the same… In other words there are no rules. First up to fight are **Naruto Uzumaki** , and **Takamitsu Montonobu.** The rest of you must go to the waiting room until it's your turn."

I analyzed my opponent carefully, the smirk not leaving his face despite the dynamic entry made earlier.

"Hey, catch." Tenten called out to me. I caught a shiny piece of metal, snugly fit in an over the shoulder holster. "He said no rules, and Gai told me you needed one."

She smiled and turned away with the others to the room. I spotted Gai and he gave me a grin and a thumbs up. I uncovered the sword to reveal a Jian, a sword to which I normally wield with my chakra! Me and Naruto looked eye to eye, about twenty feet apart, matching his confidence and eager to go at it.

"Thanks for saving me back at the tower." I gratified and softened my glare.

"Heh, if it wasn't for your intrusion, I believe we'd be in a pickle." Naruto chuckled. "Let's get to it!"

"Just warning you now, I like to fight dirty." I popped my neck and stretched my left arm.

"I'm ready for what you have in store, believe it!" Naruto pointed. "Ain't nobody, and I mean nobody is going to stop me from winning these exams!"

"Both contestants are ready. Let the match…" The Jonin paused. "Begin."

At first, time had pulled itself to stop. I had a flashback to when Hinata jumped the gun on the first blow. I flinched and threw my left arm up to block Hinata's punch. It turns out, Naruto had jumped as soon as the word was enunciated. Pure luck led me to blocking his shot. His eyes went wide for a moment, the aura of the crowd felt the same, surprised. Shock turned into his excitement as he initiated his attack.

His punches were like hand held trucks! Blocking them had only protected my vital organs, that is if the pulsation didn't rattle them. I countered a right hook by grabbing the back of his arm and shoving upward. This put his back to me and he lost control of the ground. I delivered a left elbow to his lower side, not quite hitting the kidney, but hurtful none of the less. Naruto tumbled out of the way from a sweeping kick I intended to connect upon his landing. I missed and gained some ground from him. I ran up a tree and my separation was shortly lived for he was hot on my trail.

"Ya miss me?" Two of him revealed from the tree in my path. I push kicked one and the other one charged my opening side flank. I fell backwards to avoid him and remarkably the clone and real Naruto butted heads. I lost my chakra footing and swung 270º to fly forward to the grass.

"Grr… Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled. Ten of him emerged from the tree to make a circle around me. "You're pretty slick, but what do you do when you're surrounded?"

"It's simple Naruto." I replied. I unsheathed Tenten's gift and dropped the holster for it was unnecessarily bulky. All of them rushed together, weapons ready. They were all identical. I thrusted the Jian through the north Naruto and spun left to knock away three more of them. Two behind the three jumped over the defeated below and disarmed me. I hook kicked one but another got on top of me.

 _Ram, Snake, Tiger._

I set two decoys outside of the group of Uzumaki's and turned into another Naruto.

"Hey idiot, what's the big idea!" I as him yelled.

"Aww not again!" the one who grabbed me said. I was released almost instantaneously and I let the dust clear. All Narutos including my own were in utter confusion, well, they acted the part. I kept an eye on the one who grabbed me and delivered a beautiful left hook. Blood spurted from his mouth mid way and the clones despawned. The one I punched poofed into one of my clones while laying on the floor.

 _Did I really just punch myself?_ Suddenly, from behind, a Naruto attacked me by grabbing my neck for an arm chokehold. I rolled forward into my downed sword and dissipated the clone on me. My clones despawned and the grounded me (Naruto) sat up.

"Damn, I almost had you there." He stated while out of breath. "You definitely aren't the first one to do that to me either."

"I wasn't certain that I punched myself. Nice cover up though." I gathered my sword.

"Let's see if you escape this time! Shadow clone jutsu!" He spawned five of himself running straight for me, thankfully from one way.

 _Wait… one way? Remember what Gai taught you!_

Direct awareness, situational awareness, and direct situational awareness; points to focus with on your opponent. From beneath the ground, one clone grabbed my ankle just after I realized the ground shook. I sliced the arm with my blade and leaped left to avoid the kunai barrage. Shuriken from everywhere was coming directly at me. I spun in mid air and my kusakegro activated. My twirl slowed to me and so did the projectiles. I blocked and avoided six from multiple directions. One cut into my right shoulder from behind and nicked my ear. I deactivated it with a studderful landing.

 _How many of these clones are there? He also can come from the ground?!_

More came for a physical assault and I tightly gripped my Jian. 2, 5, 10, 15! 25! They just kept coming and Naruto had no signs of stopping. I had no options for I needed chakra to spare for the upcoming matches. I poured some chakra into my blade and artificially extended it. I did a 720 spin and cleared all clones within twenty feet of me.

 _Horse, Dog….. Ram?_ I lifted my hand up and a beam of energy shot straight upward, the flash to not be found. _Damn!_ Naruto was getting closer by the nanosecond.

 _I got it now! Horse, Dog, Snake…_ "Light Excursion!" I had my eyes closed and the arena went white. It remained a lot brighter than normal, but I about blinded everyone watching in the stadium. The blessing of God let it also hit Naruto! The blinded genin tackled me regardless of sight but I rolled away easily. That jutsu unfortunately took way too much chakra. I tiptoed my way to the clones and sliced them one by one.

"Naruto, watch out!" a blinded Sakura yelled.

Divine intervention saved the real him from my sword and he jumped up. It wasn't too much longer he was to fall back down again. I prepped the blunt part of my sword for a takedown swing. Up my sword went and down he came into a double momentum-ized attack.

* _ **Crack**_ Metal to metal contact happened, and I had broken Naruto's headband in half, it only being held together by the fabric.

"You're one damn tough cookie." I said after the crowd's oo- reaction to the noise.

"Ugh, you better believe it." Naruto sat up of all things. His eyes looked to be full of bloodlust as they turned red and formed vertical slits. _A transformation? Maybe... But this chakra, it's completely different in comparison to his previous banter!_

"Lightning Clone Jutsu!" I yelled. Three of me spawned beside. "Split up." one of my clones ordered in a whisper.

Smoke bombs were thrown. One of the clones went west and up a tree. My second clone went north, my third clone remained in place while I with the second least amount of stored chakra went into Naruto's dugout hole. Waiting this out is my only viable option on his second wind.

"Come at me Naruto!" My stationary clone ordered. As such, the beast leaped forward for a head on attack. He grabbed onto my clone and my clone grinned before discharging. Naruto yelled in pain, but he wasn't northern clone coughed really loud for Naruto couldn't see but could accurately hear. Naruto charged instinctively again, and had the same results happen. He was heavily breathing now. One more should do it. The last clone of me fell from the tree.

"Ha, my clones have done a number on you. Now, time to end this!" My clone ironically yelled. The clone charged toward Naruto with a yell and he charged toward me too. Both clashed at an amazing speed and the ground rumbled upon contact. It sounded like lightning just struck the inside of the stadium. Naruto was finally down for the count. I had no trick cards up my sleeve anymore. I popped up from the hole to find Naruto unconscious, breathing slowly.

 _Holy shit…_ I muttered. _Did I really just do that?_

"Mashua!" Tenten yelled.

I leaned back to nimbly avoid a devastating uppercut. More tunnels? This kid's earth style is remarkable! I leaned farther back and had my right foot propel Naruto more up with a vertical push kick. I backwards cartwheeled into a scrunched position and leaped at him at the apex of his flight. I spun up momentum to deliver an upward hook kick. Naruto was launched a little further and I had one more shot to hit him with. I took the duller part of the blade and hit his side at his floating ribs. He yelled out for I felt one snap on impact. He hit the ground hard and layed there. I didn't trust it.

"You move again, I'm sure it'll get worse." I warned. I put the sword in my right hand and got two shuriken from my left.

"I ain't done yet." He gurgled and sat up. "Shad-." Naruto was interrupted by his cough. A mouthful of blood came out. He layed back down, his body giving in to the beating, though I know for a fact his spirit wanted to. It came down to whether or not he could get up that last time. I certainly couldn't have fought another one of him nor his clones. My knees were shaky and my arms ached.

"Looks like Naruto's finally reached his limit." Kakashi said to me, teleporting in. "You've shown alot of guts kid, and I must say thank you for not chopping him up into pieces." He eye smiled.

"The winner of this match, Takamitsu Montonobu." The jonin as the referee announced. The crowd had a decent cheer for the match.

"Kakashi, you know I wouldn't have won if-" I expected him to be more heartbroken.

"Tenten hadn't given you the sword." Kakashi finished. "I'm well aware of your reliance. Your lightning blade technique takes up too much chakra. Not only are you putting enough in to make it a physical blade, you also have to maintain it for much longer than say my chidori. Be aware, once this kid is up and running, expect a fun little rematch."

Kakashi disappeared and I walked back to the waiting room.

 _Man, that second wind he had. I'm not sure I'd have been able to make it if I went all out in the beginning._

"That blinding jutsu was impressive." Tenten commented, approaching me amongst a few medical nin. "And I see the strap wasn't too useful."

"Heh, it was a bit too loose and bulky for me." I chuckled. "Thank you for your help. And good luck out there."

Tenten nodded and left the waiting area with Temari.

"Take your jacket off please." One of the medical nin asked. I did as told and saw my arms with bruises all over.

"Oh my." One of the medics responded. "That other boy punches hard."

"We can withdraw the blood from pooling up in those spots, but it will still feel like there are bruises where we fix up."

"Is there any way to numb the pain for later?" I asked.

"Yes, but it involves something gnarly to your senses. Open your mouth." one said. I did so and they lodged a bitter root between my lower 2nd and 3rd molars. "I know it tastes bad but it's a sedation of sensory nerves that signify excruciating pain. It'll take a few minutes but you should be good by then. Just don't spit them out if you want the effects."

"Thank you." I replied. I sat in the spot next to Tenten's original spot and observed the match at hand. The taste of the root was vile and every part of my being wanted to spit it out.

"Not a bad match Mashua." Gai applauded. "But you do know you still have much more to go."

"Yes sensei, and I tried holding back, but he would have taken me out completely had I not waited for him and distracted him."

"Save it for later Mashua, you got another match coming up."

"Yes sensei." I replied.

Watching the match, I've noticed that Tenten learned a few new techniques too. To Temari's wind slicing fan blade, Tenten used a long scroll as a barrier in similar fashion to Neji's rotation. A semi-complete dome with an opening up top protected her. Temari took not of the top of Tenten's security barrier and manipulated the winds to shoot over the scrolls. Tenten was prepared and tightened the dome, wrapping it seldom over to block Temari's jutsu from inducing harm. Tenten inched her way forward to the blonde but I saw the dome had an opening in it. It looked like an inch thick but that was more than enough for Temari's accuracy to penetrate the other defence. I saw glimpses of Tenten being shred like lettuce by the wind style jutsu.

"Come on Tenten!" I yelled in her hopeful support.

She tried but it wasn't enough. The opening proved too much an exploit for Tenten and she fell to one knee. Tenten made a defiant yell and tried to get back up. She seemed stuck there, as though blocks of lead held her down. A twinkle of light was above the two. It felt like a shooting star except it was more so hovering. It grew a bit brighter. No… louder in sense of sight. It was coming in fast whatever it was. Tenten noticed it and focused her barrier for what was about to hit. I saw this as a very bad move since Temari would have a free shot and pulverize Tenten from beneath. Temari caught the incoming projectile out of the corner of her eye, and raised her giant fan blade to block the shot. She was successful

 _Where did this come from?_

"So you couldn't help but return the favor?" Gai snickered. "That blast of yours prior to the correct jutsu you pulled is impressive to its own accord. The longer the jutsu is exposed to the sun, the better."

 _Oh… Well, okay!_ I was in disbelief that the jutsu remained up there for so long.

Tenten saw Temari recoiled and took her chance for the advantage. She threw the scroll which knocked Temari's tool out of her hand. As a fact, the scroll wrapped around the item and shown itself markings once it was fully covered. Tenten held a horse sign and closed the index fingers which activated the scroll's jutsu. In a puff of smoke, one of Temari's main assets was gone.

"Not bad, I didn't think that jutsu he pulled would have come back down like that. Too bad your little boyfriend's motives are in vain." Temari joked. "Oh, and whatever shall I do without my blade?" Temari's tone was mocking. I blushed and shrunk in my seat. Tenten seemed to just get more angry. Temari pursued with the same type of attack, only without the blade. Tenten was thrown around almost like a rag doll. Temari engaged to close combat to finish Tenten off with her physical strength. Tenten got up to defend and dodged Temari's slugs. Tenten had the speed advantage and pulled off some nimble counters. Nothing major was hit but it was better than nothing. Fending off with one hand, Tenten unraveled another medium sized scroll. With Tenten's fifth and final Taijutsu counter, she wrapped the scroll horizontally around Temari's face.

 _Is Tenten really about to pull something as sick as teleporting Temari's head!?_

I caught a glimpse of that guaranteed defeat. I saw a glimpse on what that scroll read and knew my previous assumptions were a little more humane than this. Tenten was about to release many tools at such a velocity through the scroll that Temari's face would become a pincushion! Gosh I couldn't look. Things in the eyes and ears really creep me out, but this? What the hell happened to her?

"Summoning jutsu!" Tenten yelled. Various people in the crowd as I were in repulsion of what was about to happen.

Temari screamed and the crowd fell silent, like a dim lit candle blown out from the shore's wind.

* * *

.

* * *

Sup guys, I got a cliffhanger. I said I'd be busy but ya know what? I think with all the dead time I have listening to Urbie Green and Debussy, I should be writing instead. Indeed this is more productive with my summer vacation. Not sure what I'm doing right or wrong, so critiques are greatly appreciated!

Till the next chapter- _**Reguards!**_


	7. Chapter 7

By means of what Tenten had done, Temari was slain to my unconfirmed sight.

Only silence engulfed the stadium. The images of Temari's face was now replaced by a busted up watermelon. To kill for protection is one thing, but for sport? It just doesn't seem like Tenten to do such a deed!

I didn't want to, but I opened my eyes to see the damage caused on the field.

Kakashi was stopped 30 feet away from the action with a horrified look in both of his eyes. Gai had saved Temari in blocking Tenten's finishing move! But how?

"Tenten, I almost missed your cue." Gai panted with the recoil of his instant transmission. I now noticed that sensei stopped the steel fan with his bare hand, or moreso, cut the seal to change its release point and direct the projectile out of harm's way. Regardless of situation, Gai caught that at fan at the speed of sound!

"By means of intervention, given who required assistance, the winner is Tenten." The announcer seemed dull in his words.

Reality caught up with Temari on her situation. "By what?!" She was infuriated.

"Hey, I'd tone it down if I were you kid. If it weren't for this jonin here, you'd be lucky to be unconscious from this technique." the announcer replied.

"Yes, and I'd be the first to let you know that this jutsu was designed to impale. Your fan was shot out past the speed of sound through that scroll. Plenty of pounds per square inch that would concave the human skull like a foot to a bug." Gai let down the fan to Temari and revealed his hand to have been cut open from the catch.

* * *

"Unbelievable! Beaten by some stupid, young, leaf village, brat headed, di-"

"That's enough from you Temari." Gaara interrupted her. "Utter one more word of nonsense, and I'll have you painted along the west wall."

Temari silenced herself in the waiting room. The rest of us were unnerved from the aura that was wielded within the red headed sand nin. Tenten had a small smirk returning from the medical portion of the waiting room. She doesn't seem as tuckered as I am, only spending chakra on two or three jutsus on the bonus side of no major physical damage.

" **Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara,** to the field." The arbitrator announced.

"Gai sensei, where's Sasuke?" I asked.

"I'm not so sure… Kakashi, where is your prized pupil currently?"

"Oh, him?" Kakashi replied then looked around him. "Well uh, he should be around here… I thought I brought him with me here when Naruto lost his match. Guess I forgot."

"You might wanna go get him sensei." A familiar voice gave a sarcastic remark. "Unless you want the hokage ranting again about your timeliness."

"Quit your whining Sasuke." Kakashi seemed joking and eye smiled. "I told you we'd be on time."

"Hey, Tadashi." Sasuke called out. "I'm intrigued as to what those eyes of yours can do."

I did not respond, I only observed his interest. The eyes of Sasuke looked to kill, and my chakra reserves were in no condition to take on this Uchiha… On top of that, there's that black mask of flames curse which granted him some sort of overkill type buff. I might as well forfeit the match before things get rough with-.

"By means of self sanction, Shikamaru Nara forfeits himself from the match. The winner is Shino Aburame."

That idiot stole my idea!

"Well Sasuke, looks like you're next up." Kakashi budged Sasuke's attention away from me, at least long enough for him to realize his current opponent, Gaara.

The crowd had a bitter taste toward Shikamaru's match, but was immediately subdued by the coming up one.

* * *

Through the match, Sasuke had minimalistic physical injuries. Gaara on the other hand was at a major disadvantage with his Taijutsu and lack of speed. After Gaara's defensive dome failed to protect him, Sasuke proved to be too quick for Gaara to counterattack, regardless of his near transformation. I assume Sasuke prevented it. The match ended with Sasuke impaling Gaara's left shoulder with the chidori, Which rendered Gaara unconscious.

"The first set of rounds have been completed. We will shortly begin the second round, which consist of **Takamitsu, Tenten, Shino, and Sasuke.** "

I and Tenten took to the field to face off the start of the second round.

"I know for damn sure that you're not gonna get me with that scroll technique." I bluffed.

"Yeah, what's so interesting about pulling the same thing when others watched you do it?"

"I hope you know I haven't pulled all my cards out yet."

"Same."

 _Damn! Not only am I out of juice, she still has tricks up her sleve!_

"Alright, both competitors are ready?" The jonin asked. Me and Tenten nodded. "Good. Let the second set of rounds… begin!"

Both of us knew each other's fighting style, but she started off less aggressively. We had a slight standoff. I felt that I was caught under Shikamaru's shadow trap in going for a shuriken in my left leg pouch. This of course was my imagination, she saw my movement and reacted. I ripped one out and threw it upward from my knee and rolled left.

" _She's guaranteed to hit me when i'm a still target. I don't have enough chakra to fake her out with a clone jutsu, I need that for my next match."_

Tenten skinned a piece of my right cheek with a shuriken. " _That is_ _ **if**_ _I make it."_

"I realize one handful of weapons at a time won't get me anywhere." Tenten pulled out a scroll. "Let's try a few hundred!"

She slid the paper open horizontally and a black wall of tools was on fast approach. I could only leap upward to avoid the lethal maneuver and was left open. She had three shuriken from one hand then chunked it. I whipped my legs frontward and kicked one away. The second one grazed by the skinned part of my right cheek and it cut open. The last shuriken Lodged itself in the sole of my right foot.

I tucked in pain and landed on my side. This knocked my breath out. Tenten was merciless and threw a kunai to hit the shuriken still lodged in my foot. I yelled out and rolled to sit up. I felt which way it was lodged in. I set off three smoke bombs and rolled left, thankfully invisible in the smoke. Tenten had thrown more weapons which hit where I was previous. I felt for the shuriken in my foot but apparently she had knocked it out with the kunai.

I tried building chakra, but my trembling form couldn't focus enough. The pain nulled my focus. The smoke was starting to clear and I recognized her walking right up to me. I backed up slightly, crouched to prepare an upward kick should she get any closer. She knew my range all too well, almost like it was cheating for how well she knew my tactics.

 _So, let's try something different!_

I gathered distance from her and went behind a tree for cover.

"We both know my specialty lies with long range engagements!" She shouted from the other side of the stadium.

I dove for the waiting room door and immediately grabbed my Jian to head back. I activated my Kusakegro once more to analyze the incoming waves of projectiles. The sword was plenty sturdy to block most of what came. A few tools did lodge themselves to the weapon I wielded. She then held a snake handsign and the projectiles were becoming slightly faster. A glowing tinge surrounded all the tools now. One sparked out when it passed by my sword, which revealed to me that she used lightning based chakra to amplify its speed and potential lethality.

 _I thought she was a water type!_

I had reached a null in progressing forward at around twenty feet. I saw the tools she used started to manipulate the weapon I wielded.

"Seal release, lightning wind-cutting shuriken!" She commanded from her scroll. There was no pause between her giving the command and the shuriken tearing at my sides significantly. My knees hit the ground as the jutsu stopped.

"Lightning clone jutsu!"

"What!?" I yelled as she copied one of my ex-homeland's forbidden move.

One of her went over me and was now on the opposite side of me, holding a long scroll open.

"Connecting seal! Infinite kunai storm!" The one in front of me called out.

This jutsu, aside from being lethal was quite a thought. The smaller scroll was the one to fire out the projectiles and the bigger scroll caught the kunai as they missed me. This of which resulted in a beam of kunai that teleported from point A to B and repeated. The way the trail of weapons followed me was like a guitar string. The attack and jutsu would have been genius if it didn't consume so much chakra. There was also the point where the bigger scroll had to move more quickly to catch the kunai as I get closer to the attacker. I could only get to ten feet without error and my reaction time fell all reliance to instinct. I finally was within melee range.

"Reverse!" She yelled. The kunai stopped coming, and I felt my one chance to take her out.

The final swing, the item meets its maker once more… In a very sh**** and wimpy way. From behind, I felt twenty something kunai jab me forward. She blocked the uncontrolled sword away and Held up my forward falling body with the structured portion of one scroll. I lifted my head and stared into her eyes. She didn't look triumphant, moreover, she looked scared, maybe as though she overdone the jutsu? The eye contact was short lived as I heavily coughed between us and fell left to the floor. I heard a small "I'm sorry." As she turned out to be just a clone I was pursuing. My eyes were heavy, and I kept coughing… coughing in the pitch black as the crimson mass struggled closing up my windpipe. I don't know if it did, but once again, I remain unconscious, an emotionless void of time travel within the inactive mind of a coma. Most would call this hell to have nothing for an extended period of time. No happiness, no sadness, just existence, and hardly that either.


	8. Chapter 8

All I feel now is this neutral zone of black swirls and no emotion. I can't even think. I just exist in my mind, feeling that I have a body, but I can't command it to my will. I'm not breathing and I have no urge to. Maybe I'm dead? Perhaps the doctors messed up and I'm in another long term coma? I can blink, but what does that do? I see nothing, and blinking doesn't change the color neither. Wait, I can't even blink. Am I paralyzed?

"No." A voice mumbled out.

A hiss began to form, as though there were bandages peeling off of my ears. I felt the weight of my body shift forward to my lack of control. I saw a light, very dimly lit, but none of the less, I had no control of my surroundings. It grew bigger, wider, exponentially wider. There was now a white line running across my sight. I finally was aware that my eyes were opening. I saw my hands clenched to something, a remote, and... shackles? I thought we've already cleared the "I'm a fugitive/outcast of Konoha." phase. I could now identify that this bed was no ordinary bed, nor was the house. It had a distinctive pattern, one of which chilled my very spine to even conceive at this point.

Snake skin.

If I were awake, I'd have been in a full blown panic, but, there was a sense of bliss in which calmed me more as I breathed. The air was drugged. I felt everything as heavy, and moving (or the lack there of) stirred frustration in my lack of ability. The great news was I'm not paralyzed, nor does my back hurt. The news that hit the fan was that I am now hostage. There was another hostage… no two. I could tell by the breathing pattern. It wasn't exactly in sync so that was good news.

"Hey," I muttered. "Wake up."

I could turn my head to see a thin white curtain. I peered, or at least tried to, to identify the body that laid to rest. No response. I looked at the remote and found the volume button for the TV in front of us. Click… It was a great effort to even lift a finger from my position. There now was a whisper of sound from the TV. Click… Click… Click… It now sounded like a distant conversation. Sweat rolled down my cheek. My hand cramped and squeezed itself together tightly. It felt like my hand's tendons were about to rip itself to shreds from the tension. Luckily, the volume button was compressed and the increments of sound increased exponentially.

Ten seconds passed and the TV was full blast. If this doesn't wake the other two up then nothing will. My hand still hurt and was tense, but it wasn't death gripping the remote anymore. I heard a chain rattle across the curtain. A door opened and some nurse walked in. She had some sort of pink with grey outlinings.

"Oh you poor thing, just wanting to listen to the TV." She baby talked. "You did a good job of waking up so fast! Here, let me turn down the room anesthetic." The nurse had a keychain and used a grey key to open a bod mounted on the wall. I saw her turn a dial and the number went from 95 to 60. Immediately, nerves started tingling and I was more consciously aware of myself. I had control of my hands and neck.

"Two of your friends look to also be waking up too! I'll go get some food!" She darted off out a door and locked it. The box was left open. I peered at it hard and could barely focus my eyes that read _**Isopropyl Ethanol.**_ Propane alcohol? I'm... drunk? But I thought propane was lethal to inhale!

"Who is this?" I turned the volume down to listen.

"Takamitsu?" One asked, "Or is it Mashua?"

" _Damnit Tenten! How did you get caught?"_ I thought to myself. "Mashua."

"How long have we been out?" The third figure asked.

"Not sure, there isn't much of a way to tell time except by commercials on the TV." I replied.

"Alright you three, It's time for your daily food and supplements, and you'll be meeting the man of the house himself very soon." The nurse seemed psychotically happy in her words.

"Who's the man of the house?"

"Oh doll, it's none other than Orochimaru."

"WHAT?" Tenten shouted in panic. "You mean to tell me the snake man seeking to kill the hokage captured us for his-" The bed was frantically shaking. I believe I heard it tip over and it made a rather loud crash sound. I heard a small shriek enlaced with pain as the falling and kicking noise cleared.

"Oh, my! Umm, that's not supposed to bend like that umm." The nurse dropped the tray and darted for the door. _Please tell me it's the bed..._

The grand question that relies in my head just after food, "What does Orochimaru want with us?"

* * *

Two or three sound nin came by to fix the problem and Tenten bit one of the nin's hands while settling her in. The man cursed and from what I heard punched her. Tenten went out cold and two had a concerned tone back and forth. I couldn't decipher their mumbling. I enjoyed my soup being spoonfed to me. I honestly would have preferred a shovel for spoon size, but sitters can't be choosers; I was hungry. Temari was the other Kunoichi captured, I found out between mouthfuls, which was almost nice… Except that she HATES Tenten in thanks to that humiliating move. Temari hated the soup, or was just trying to retaliate much like Tenten.

"So how is my precious children doing?" Orochimaru asked as he walked in to greet. "Oh please don't struggle. It'll only make you more tired, and I don't want hands as delicate as yours to be all bruised up while you train."

"Get away from me you vile snake creep!" Temari exclaimed.

"But, darling, I bring you food, shelter, and a nicely warm snakeskin bed, all from the bottom of my wretched, cold heart. It's too bad resistors like you end up just like this sheet."

Temari screamed in horror. I had an unnerved chill go throughout my body. It made me almost hurl my soup up.

 _People!_ I thought. _How many people did he kill to make these sheets!?_

"Oh and this little poor kunoichi." He went to the next bed. "I thought it was the bed that went out of place, not your shoulder too hon. Here, let me fix that for you."

I could tell Tenten was well under subconsciousness. Orochimaru popped her shoulder back in socket. I was sweating from nervousness. What kind of sadistic individual is he? Speaking of the devil, he appeared around the curtain to meet his last patient.

"And how are you today my boy?" He offered to chat. Silence came from me. "Ah yes, the quiet type, paralyzed in fear. The nurse tells me you're the good boy of the group and I can fare to see why."

"You have no worries from me my little ones. Daddy is no longer on the experimental phase of his jutsu. I guarantee your death will be quick and painless, so long as you do what I say." He brushed both curtains back and revealed my confirmation of the two kunoichi to my left. "Till then, sit back, relax, get some sleep, it's going to be a long day in about a month."

He left the room, shut the door, and locked it with it's confirmable three clicks. Temari was quivering while Tenten laid unconscious, a major bruise formed on her left cheek with a drool of blood coming down from her mouth and nose on the right side. That infuriated me most. It just felt like such a cheap shot. Thankfully, she was breathing.

"Look for a weak chain." Temari's mood just inverted to serious. "Use the top edge of the bed headstock to bend it if you have to."

I looked and inspected each one carefully. All of them were welded in and structurally sound. The chain went to a platform held by two hexagon screws, about the diameter of my pinky. Considering this as cement that it was held to, this was going to be impossible to simply pull out. The game plan was null together… But at least we had a month.


	9. Chapter 9

It felt like day 5. I had memorized the routine: Wake up, Hygiene check, Breakfast, Restroom, Exercise, Lunch, Restroom, Exercise, Dinner, Restroom, Hygiene check, Rest. It was very structured for people always watched us wherever we were, except for rest and restroom breaks. Temari and Tenten from this point were still clashing heads. I let them be and trained on my own. Every nook and cranny of this facility seemed locked tight and in an OCD timewise fashion.

In this facility so far, I've made a map of where we go. It starts with the room we three sleep in. three beds, three wall mounted chains, one tv, three restrooms, and a locked door to our left. Outside the door leads to a T-intersection. To the left is more doors, about fifteen and the hallway ends. To our right is where we go to exercise and eat. The right side of the hallway extends for 500 feet then leads to another T-intersection. The right leads outside to a field guarded by thirty feet high rocks. I guess I'd call it a large pit, but there's a good bit of space to walk around. There's no point of trying to climb out for there are on average 3 ninja who watch us train from above. The left leads to a cafe, and from that point forward, I only see a glimpse of a hallway.

* * *

"I have a gutsy feeling our exit is through the cafe doors." Tenten was pondering during our rest time.

"It seems too simple of an exit," I replied. "What if the exit was in one of those doors to our left?"

"But there's so many Mashua, I don't see how we'd be able to look through all those doors without someone noticing."

"Ahem, Lightning clones?" I air quoted.

"You yourself know that takes way too much chakra to maintain evenly!" Tenten sassed back. "How are we to even take on the medical staff when we have no weapons, no plan, and no chakra?"

"Orochimaru wants us healthy and alive." Temari said. "Maybe he won't keep us if we get sick."

"But then he'll execute us if we're no use of his plan." I replied.

"What is his plan?" Tenten asked.

"Legend has it that he seeks immortality." Temari commented. "There were many stories of the great sannin of the leaf village. It had my country worried sick for a while that the three would join forces and start a war with the sand."

"You mean he's going to carve a spot in one of our bodies to take control with his soul?" I worriedly commented.

"There's that… but then…" Temari blushed.

"What?" I and Tenten were ignorant.

"He might… you know… pair two of three of us up and... _Blegh!_ " Temari to the left of her gagged. "Sorry, it's not you, I just hate the idea of."

"That's just sick!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Yes, and I'm impressed you three figured it out so quickly." Orochimaru phased through the door, apparently hearing our whole conversation. "Hmm, too bad I was going to make a fun little love triangle out of you three to see who would be the better couple."

Temari started emptying her stomach. I and Tenten had a dark blush of denial, confusion, and embarrassment marked all the way to our necks. My stomach felt queasy and my face now drenched itself in sweat.

"Oops, looks like I also spilled the beans about that too. Let me just speed things up between the two… currently able bodies…" Orochimaru looked to use some sort of telekinesis and forged the two bars that held the chains between me and Tenten together. The beds also moved and were now conjoined. Her body flew on top of mine, separated by the clothes we wore and two bedsheets. I tried shoving her off but we were trapped in thanks to the tangled chains.

"Now now children, don't get too naughty. I'm still watching."

* * *

I awoke, screaming in panic, needing to run. I jerked the chains around, trying to loosen them up, but alas, they remained stern. I rolled left and stood up to yank them back, feeling major claustrophobia for being stuck in a spot. My breathing and heart rate was at a rabbit's pace but I couldn't escape the trap. I swung down hard on the bed, denting up the headstock and making a loud ruckus. I put my feet to the wall and pulled with all my strength outward. My wrists burned with the pain of the metal pressed to them.

 _It's just a dream! It was a dream! Oh gosh why? What gave me these horrid thoughts? Why won't they leave my head!_

"Mashua." Temari's voice was as faint as a mouse. "Calm down, it was a nightmare, idiot."

"Shut up Temari, not all of us are as psychologically sound as you and your act earlier." Tenten defended.

"Exactly, mine was an act!" She spat. "Versus this boy wonder and Mrs. Panic button tip their damn beds and break their arms over their ignorance!"

"Take that back you blonde haired B****."

"Not until you and your boyfriend over there calms his tits!"

"Alright, first of all, he is **not** my boyfriend! Second you're-"

About that time three medical staff members busted through the door, attending to my aid. Two held me down while the third unlocked the chained cuffs. I rolled from their grip and dashed for the corner away from the door and everybody. The medical nin looked like linebackers, ready to tackle me at my advancement's notice, only I didn't advance. I propped and leaned against the wall, gasping and my heart pounding. The images started fading, which eased my panic. The blood rushed to my head and disoriented my balance. I hit a medic's arms on my fall as the subconscious consumed me once more.

* * *

Day 6- Night

To help prevent the panic attacks from recurring, they lengthened all our chains a good two feet from the bed. Temari had gained info on who had the keys. Someone with blue eyes and a vertical scar on his left cheek. Of course, God has me incapable of seeing blue, as I guess it's not my destiny to find this man. She continued and stated that one of us should memorize the looks of him and double fake a clone jutsu to distract the crowd of workers/guards. Once there's mass confusion and they start fighting over who's real, we then go in for the keys, if not kill, depending on the character. The fun part's going to be confirming an exit. All my hope lies in those doors close by the room we sleep in, not the cafe. If the exit is not being one of the many doors, we're screwed.

* * *

Day 11-

I feel almost adapted to this as a home now, in some weird control freak way. I almost felt that I betrayed something for wanting to leave. I need a good slap in the face, I know I've gone mad. The schedule continued in its pattern to a T with little room for error in its performance. Breakfast came by and we three scouted for the key wielder in the mess hall. No luck. I was separated from them after lunch and went into the first door to the left after our room into Orochimaru's office.

"So, you know why I sent you here." He implied that I had info, or asked me a question.

"No?" I replied confused.

"Well, it's a little thing about my immor-"

"Yeah you want to live forever and carve the soul out of one of us to continue your quest of jutsu blah blah bl-" Immediately after mocking him, I was slapped by his tongue from his chair.

"If I could do that, I'd have already done so you smart ass!" He spat… Literally. I'd say rather disgusting and unsanitary. "What I require takes… Two of you to accomplish unfortunately."

"So that dream…" I slightly blushed.

"Yes yes, I do tend to get a bit awkward telling you in person the specifics..."

"I would like to kindly decline your-" Before my sentence was finished, Orochimaru took a knife from his desk and sliced my face open diagonally.

"You dare even perceive back talking against a Sannin such as myself!" He barked and I flinched, falling backward.

"You dare allow the precious lives of others be wasted away for such as your own!" He sliced again, this time, making for what I felt as an X now on my face.

"Forgive my shortened temper Mashua, time has been running rather Ill for me lately."

"Rather it's been catching up to your ungrateful sorry ass!" I held a hand up to my face, expecting another cut. Unfortunately, I was wrong

"Kabuto!" Orochimaru exclaimed, thrusting a kunai directly into my lower abdomen. "Please patch up this young man for me before I turn him into a kebab and ruin my plans!"

"Yes lord Orochimaru." Kabuto spawned in front of me, aiding to my agony.

"You know I was going to let you pick between the two kunoichi, but I guess you leave me no choice you brat!" He threw a coin which landed between my blood dotted shoes. It landed on a face… The face of Temari! Did Orochimaru just choose who I'm to… to…

"Aaaahhhhrrrrgggggh!" I blared and gurgled as Kabuto swiftly pulled out the knife out from me.

 _God everyone just loves impaling me don't they!_

"Hm, you really are one of the lucky ones. Usually he decapitates who he's mad at most of the time."

"Then why not? Why don't you kill my useless self while I'm down!"

"Oh Mashua, like an old friend of yours once said with all the innuendo intended. 'I do intend upon going out with a _bang.'_ Ahahahahahaaa!" He's the one who killed Ansoni!

"You monster! You sick-" The pressure point of my neck was jabbed "-fffunday driver…"

Silence engulfed me for a short while. I now knew what was to come next once I awoke…

* * *

And a wrap of chapter 9. For the next few weeks when a certan individual gives me criticism on the first book, I will happily fix up that wrongly assembled aircraft and straighten it's attic. More content to come soon, I just need to fix my life before moving any further.


	10. Chapter 10

"Stop it you monster!" I heard a yell in the compression of being slapped. I was thrown into the air and landed hard on the ground; back in the cell we three slept in. I heard someone struggling in my disorientated state. I could not pinpoint it via hearing nor with my eyes since I've been dosed with the typical morphine shot near bedtime. We all would think that I'd be an addict or at least more resilient to this stuff by now. But alas, I'm still a lightweight.

My face was driven harshly back into the ground. I felt my nose crunch, bending sideways. It didn't hurt thankfully, but like a candle, my conscience was blown out yet again.

"The meeting of Mashuas are in session!" An australian sounding man slammed a mallet down and the room spawned light within itself. I was revealed in some courtroom seeing a bunch of myselves everywhere, in the stands on the court chair, and all in between.

"Mashua, ahem er…. Yup, just Mashua." The australian me licked his fingers and read a document. "As controller of our being, you hold the key to our survival, thoughts, memories, and knowledge of the system. As far as faithful knowledge is concerned, moving to Konoha by large margins proves to be a threat to our shared vessel's survival."

A murmur of bitter words was mumbled from behind. "Should you continue in the path of Konoha, and threaten the sake of us as the sake of the vessel, we will force us to reincarnate a new wielder of our vessel's control and exile you."

"I'm afraid that's a pretty hefty order." I remarked to the aussie. "And we all are widely familiar as to why we still stay at Konoha."

"Go on." He seemed interested.

"I pose that I may go uninterrupted in my work. As you know, there have been countless struggles of thoughts clashing between a controlling three, sometimes four."

"But you see, these have saved your butt in the past." He argued. "It is what we found that works in the mass chaos."

"What you are doing only contradicts how we are to survive!" I exclaimed. "This heightened awareness is only an improvement of our narcissism and furthermore clouds our judgement!" I was seized by the side guards in the courthouse.

"But you see, we're still all here." He drew a long pause. "We are all tools for the _vessel's_ exposal and will. We just wanna look out for what's best for all of us."

"You're just afraid of me for yourself." I retorted. "All this preparation and you expect that I do what you say with regardings that we are separate, but you fail to confirm that I am in charge and you are the clutter. You can't outsmart me if you're only me."

"Yes, but the truth remains that we are you in the exponential form."

"I am the vessel you so hold to sabotage."

"Lies!" The Aussie jumped from his chair. His approach was quick but I prevailed to block his attack.

"Be gone you parasite!" I held my hand, palm aimed at his face. I was punched but remained stout. With a twitch of thought, everything turned white and disappeared. I looked at my hands in detail, but my form would not stay steady. It shaked and kept changing images as I moved my eyes.

"You play the role of God, yet you and I both know you're still human." The snake figure announced behind me.

"Me playing God?" I retorted. "That's funny coming from the Mr. Immortality fetish himself."

"But the way in which you took their lives Mashua, aren't you proud of how you wielded the iron fist of your subconscious?"

"There's nothing real here, it's just my imagination fighting itself."

"Hmm? I wouldn't be negative toward yourself. You've done much better than all my previous test subjects."

"So, you've come to take me?" I asked.

"Oh I wish." He looked at his changing hands. "But unfortunately, I am not able to control my subconscious like you. Normally, those with split personalities end up being consumed and eternally distracted by this jutsu. Convincing you and your friends to procreate is too risky for I know you'd or they'd kill the child without a moment's notice. As far as conscious authority, I have no interest in being a girl up onto the point of changing bodies once again. This left my final option, you."

I never responded, I only glared, not with emotion.

"But, alas, my poor child just won't co-operate, so I have to find another. Someone who's willing to find power at some humane sacrifice. It's been an… interesting week has it not?"

"Is this a trick question?" I was defensive.

"Why no, I was going to let you and your friends go since this all has been just a waste of my time." He smirked. "But I do ask, what can I improve upon for my next lucky visitors?"

"More flexible sleeping chains, harder beds, and less drugs."

"Hmm, for a second I thought you were being humorous. Now go Mashua, go back to the land that once stood, you'll find your answers soon enough. For it isn't who you think that killed your family and friends, why there were fourteen individuals whom I recalled partaking in the mass murder…. Including your father."

I awoke to those last three words, but I had no belief that he of all would do such a thing. It just seemed too fake. Being awake, I looked and saw pitch black.

"Great." I auded. It echoed for about ten seconds, giving an emphasis on the the bright 't' sound. A cave? Well, there was no light to prove that it was. It could be another one of Orochimaru's traps. I wasn't ready for a moment to let my guard down.

"Temari, Tenten?" I called out.

"Right under you doofus." Temari grumbled. "Ehh? who turned out the lights? And why aren't my arms chained to anything.

"It could be another one of Orochimaru's traps." Tenten replied for me. "Mashua, you got us a light?"

"Ehh," I was skeptical.

"Just point it downward Mashua, we'll be fine." Tenten sighed.

"By what Gai taught me, this jutsu goes through the eyelids too."

"Wait, sensei taught you a jutsu?"

"Uhuh."

"Are you sure that was Gai sensei?" Tenten questioned in disbelief. "He NEVER uses ninjutsu. He's like Lee and uses only Taijutsu."

"Maybe he's tired of his handicap?" Temari suggested.

"Will you two look away from my voice?" Now I just got to remember the jutsu handsigns… Uhh…

Horse… Dog… Snake?

To my doubtful and slow handsign positions came a thankfully weak flash of light. To the dilated eye, it was still pretty strong.

"I see two ways we can go." Temari spoke.

"I say the left way because I'm left handed." I theorized.

"Mashua, the last thing we need right now is sarcastic bullshit and guessing." Tenten scowled.

"Well, it's not like we have much choice Tenten." Temari backed me up. "And besides, guessing is better than nothing."

I tensed my body up to emit enough chakra to sustain a ball form of light. It was highly uncontrolled, zipping around against the walls which I assume have traces of metal inside.

"I haven't got alot of chakra, let's make this quick." And we went down the left cave. Stalactites and mites peppered the caves and caused themselves to occasionally be stumbling blocks for me. There wasn't much colour to the cave. The light emitted was yellow but the caves reflected the rays of only black and white. There were many cliffsides and 7+ foot rock walls to climb. I had to climb them blind for I needed both my arms in order to do so. Tenten started using her voice in an echolocational sense, between small bursts of my jutsu down the second half of our travels.

We trekked for a few more miles and finally saw the light for the exit. Tenten and Temari were relieved to find light and dashed to see what was outside. Tenten had a paused as she was at the end of the cave. She fell to her knees at what she saw. What I saw. Konoha was in shambles. I walked outside to find we came out of one of the Hokage's faces. Everything was engulfed in ashes, buildings and lots of forestry was burned. Dozens, almost hundreds laid dead over the main roads by the Hokage tower. I walked over to see the damage up close… Okay, that might seem a bit morbid, but I want to make sure no one I know was looking for me.

"I'm sorry for your losses." Temari muttered after a minuit of silence.

"What's there to be sorry for?" I retorted back. "It's not like you were a part of this were you?"

"No Mashua, this wasn't from the sand nin." Tenten defended. "This village was burned down. I've a feeling it was from one of our own country."

"You don't mean-!"

"The Nine-Tailed beast."Tenten interrupted Temari. "I'm sure that bastard Orochimaru tried fondling with that beast and bit off more than what he could chew."


	11. Chapter 11

The grounds were snowing with ashes. Much of the Hyuga clan had fallen with hollowed out eye sockets. They in many were lined and tied up in similarity as firing squad lineups. Tenten seemed as a hollow form of herself. After escaping… whatever the hell that was, the best question strikes me in harmony, what the hell is this? The answers could never be direct. Some would call it an invasion, but there's no centralization of foreigners near the Hokage tower. Others would theorize pirates being the blame. There are valuables on the people deceased down the main street…

"Look at the burn marks of the buildings and people." Temari broke the stillest airs, being the first sound besides wind over the shingles.

"They aren't from fire like what the Nine-tails would do." I felt anger bubble in my chest.

"It's jagged enough that it may be a type of lightning jutsu."

"No." I denied and threw my hands down. "No no oh Hell no!"

"What's wrong Mashua?"

"The Raikage." My hands trembled.

"There's no need to panic, he's not nearby."

"You don't know that!" I retorted.

"You may be right too." A darker figure emerged from the cave behind us three. "But the funnier thing out of all of this…"

The world had distorted and fizzed out into black with a man holding a palm behind my forehead.

* * *

"He's not holding sir!"

"Administer the anesthetics!"

"I will not have this man escape from my grasp again!"

"Agh! He won't let go of my hand!"

"Well when you put your hand in front of him, what else can we do?"

"Sir we are out of Nitrous oxide. Any more imbalance of the other liquid agents and he'll start seizing."

"What do I not pay you enough already to get your supplies and do your job?"

"Unless you wanna lose three months of research and secrets within this mind, you might wanna bring him to physical unconsciousness."

"Will someone make a damn decision before I do myself!" the victim of my bite shouted.

"Hand me the damn needle!"

"I'm not the doctor jim! I run the facility, not stock up on C3O4 tablets for patients with alzheimers!"

"For the last time he has no medical conditions! He's some stubborn kid unwilling to talk!"

"Three months… Three F******* months and you've yet to show me what we need to know!" The hand I bit was forcefully yanked out and it seemed two guys in white lab coats tumbled about. My eyes saw only in blobs but could tell one stabbed the other in the neck with a utensil. My arms were free, I yanked out an IV and took off the wires to my heart meter. I coughed out some anesthetic that gave a bad aftertaste and went for a door.

My chest felt great pressure and my legs were shaky, as though I haven't been physically active in a while… Three months per say? Well duh. Down a hall, I shouldered an individual who then spilt coffee on his clothing, yelling in anger and pain behind. Out another door, the hallways continued and branched off in four ways. I headed straight down the middle way, following the exit signs.

"Not so fast kid!" I felt a force grab me by the shoulders and slam me on the ground. "Now talk."

"Talk of what?" I mumbled back.

"The scrolls, the jutsu, the secrets in remains of ashes that only you read."

"I've already told you I don't know!"

"What kind of person just so stumbles on the scroll of storm casting and uses it in a fireplace?"

"Obviously someone who finds such a power to wipe a city to a glass floor unappealing for the sake of lives that matter."

"But this jutsu connects historically… To how we were founded-"

"And how you enslaved hundreds of thousands just for political and scare tactics." The pressure against my head was increased.

"My my, aren't you just a stubborn little one." Orochimaru's voice came through the man who held me down. "And no matter how I try to get the information, you won't talk. Not to your friends, not out of preservance and safety, nothing. Even when you know you're free, you still persist outside of what I need."

"I help others in trusting that they would return my favor."

"Hmm? But wasn't I trying to get you out of that? That obligation of rectifying your old roots so your purpose is filled?"

"You'd fulfill my life's desires so that you may dwell in my tomb. I'm sorry, I want to live for something more than mere tasks."

* * *

The background changed again, this time to me in a bedroom, colored to a tan and burgundy…. It looks like my apartment, except remodeled.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you Mashua." Orochimaru said from the kitchen with the fridge open. "I somewhat forgot that a small group of talented individuals still had the respect of a humanistic life. To one day grow old with those you love whilst contributing to the community around you."

"And here I thought you were some psychopathic individual who wanted me for my body. I hate to break again what you already know, but you'd have to kill me before I talk."

"Yes, but realize why I'm sparing you, it's your enlightenment and nature toward others around you. You know what you want, can have, and will never be able to get. If someone gets in your way, heaven forbid that they suffer under your hands. Your actions have been quite an interresting balancing act too, sparing your team for helping out your home clan in the long run... But let me shed some path you'll have to make bad choices with. When it comes to declaring war on villages, who's side will you be on?"

"The better question I see is who will believe what side I'm on once the truth is made clear to them."

"You see Mashua... Ahem* Takamitsu, this is why I can't take you, you being so brilliant under just your circumstances. I see you're able to get much more out of your life than I can with your body."

"Quit telling me what I want to hear and tell the truth!" I broke his compliments.

"Well, I suppose it's coincidence what you want to hear is truth." He looked down, almost with a sad expression. "You know, lying will only make things worse from here on out... If you're not careful, many lives will be put at stake."

"Before you leave, where am I and how long have I been gone?" Mashua asked politely.

"The better question I'd be asking was, when was you first taken control of?" Orochimaru concluded.

* * *

Space and reality was to warp once more, and I was in a room, awaking with a cold sweat, damp around my ears. To my right was a usual mess of medical equipment and Tenten making herself at home on one of the three chairs; she looked to be in a rather humerous position, sleeping upside down in the chair. To the left out the windows was a peaceful Konoha. I put my mask on and contemplated what scenarios I underwent were real.

"How long have I been out?" I now was aware that I was in the hospital. Tenten was stirred up by my question.

"Two and a half weeks…" She rubbed her eyes. "Your cane's by the door."

"Wait, how long ago was the chunin exams?"

"Two and a half weeks…"

"Where's Lee?"

"You already know what happened to him." She was saddened stating the obvious.

"Hey, I didn't ask for sarcasm." I replied.

"I wasn't all sarcastic. You're more than lucky to make it through that crap."

"Huh?"

"I'm the reason you didn't get your ass completely handed to you in the midst of the second part of the exams!"

"Could you tell me why I was out for so long?"

"The doctors didn't really know. They assumed you went into shock from chakra exhaustion after fighting Hinata. Your case of course had to be special. For whatever reason, you had spontaneous bruises appear and dissipate within just a few hours at a time. That I guess is the main weird thing."

"Did I talk in my sleep?"

"Nope, you were almost deemed a vegetable."

"Would that be for me a carrot or asparagus?"

"Considering you don't smell funny…"

"Alright, it's time to get my life together and think of my next-" I took not two steps and slipped forward from the marble floors. Ten ten barely managed to catch me and I announced the spiking pain in my chest.

"Considering three fracked vertebrae, a dozen fractured ribs, the unsettled lung, the seemingly hearty blood loss, and having no leg strength for lying there for two weeks, I am going to ask you this once. Please kindly sit your ass back on the bed!" I was debatably ragdolled back.

"Well what am I gonna do now? I'm already bored out my gourd."

"Heal up like everybody else"

" it this stuff could take months to heal!" I pondered. "And the exams are next week!"

"Takamitsu, i will break the rest of your neck if I find you leaving before your pardoned, are we clear?"

"Yes mom."

Tenten left the room and the air felt different. I still am not sure that I can confirm being in a real scenario. Am I free? How much time did I lose? Is this just another layer of Orochimaru's trap? Tenten though seems spot on normal now: determined, blunt, and angry. I need answers outside of the controlled environment around me. Screw whatever Tenten's commanding me to do, I need to be certain I still exist in the sur or real...


	12. Chapter 12

There's only one person I know, well scratch that… There are a handful of people I know who contain great knowledge within themselves, Hopefully past the point of Orochimaru. Kakashi Hatake would be one of the smarter individuals that could prove to me or at least siphon out if this is real. I cautiously stood up, intending to others that I had to use the restroom if the excuse was necessary. I had waited thirty minutes for Tenten to do her business and get back to her day's routine of whatever that is outside of the hospital for her. My muscles and joints felt awful, as a big fact I am basically immobilized under my current condition.

"Seems real to me." I thought to myself. "Then again, three months of being under probably would have felt worse than this."

Three days roll along and wounds started healing. Lee had already escaped the hospital to train, which makes me slightly jealous because of Tenten's double standard of reccouperation toward me. I could control all ten digits and seldom my right arm. With vertebrae fractured, pinched nerves were a common occurrence. Luckily, they said I could get going in a matter of five weeks.

"The exams are coming up, am I going to be able to watch them?" I asked the nurse checking up my vitals.

"Under rules of your condition, you're not allowed to leave the facility until a week into your physical rehab." She snobbily put.

"That didn't stop the funny kid with a bowl cut."

"As far as of your concern, he's barely able to walk on his own." She slammed the tray on the folding table over my abdomen.

"Still doesn't explain why he is able to limp out the front door…" I thought to myself.

"Alright, pain, rate, movement, rate, and flexibility… All seem with much improvement." She treated my condition like a checklist. "Swollen tissue with minor spikes of pain and numbness easily identify that medication is working. Thoracic and Lumbar segments L4 through S3 signify severe bruising but no hemorrhaging that constricts spinal cord from function subconsciously. Organs are nominal, Nutrition values are nominal, Oxygen at 95%, vitals sway from 87 to 126… Do you have anxiety?"

"Hmm?" I raised an eyebrow, misunderstanding the context of the question.

"Monitors at your visitor hours clarify that your heart rate accelerates when around people. Is there anything threatening about your visitors? Verbal abuse, harassment?... Arousal?"

"Well she does yell alot." I felt my cheeks rose a bit.

"We can arrange her not being allowed near you if the measures call for-"

"No, it's fine, it's like a protective type of yelling."

"I don't see why or how it's protective given your current circumstance."

"Look, she's been through alot, you know, with basically losing her team after the preliminary rounds and one being a vegetable for two weeks."

"Aren't shinobi and kunoichi supposed to cast away such emotions, for it clouds with their judgement and fighting abilites?"

"You tell me how a human lives with no emotion."

"Perhaps you need to read up much more on the shinobi way, Takamitsu."

"Well I call it suicide to cast oneself away from his or her being." I looked to the ceiling. "Maybe we all need an update of the system."

"To change what has been set in stone for centuries, why that's simply blasphemy of our ancestors!"

"Tell me then, why are so many people killed in this world?" I sat up and surveyed my hands. "Is it really a person's intention to kill so that it may provide safety to a select group of people?"

My second inner voice stirred up. "Woah buddy, stick with your previous plot ya know? Kill the raikage, avenge the family, Ansoni, your true home village? Get his henchmen, do the nasty thing with their skulls once they're… Damn, you're really thinking about what you just said haven't you…"

"War has been existent since the time man couldn't decide what colour plaid kilt should be worn in a sunday service." I really liked the nurse's analogy. "I once was a medical nin after passing the jonin exams and decided to settle down after the scandals with nin from the cloud and sand village."

"How involved were you with that battles?" I asked.

"Oh, I had to cater to twenty teams in the sand village at their base. They deployed me just behind the lines where I got a real taste of what war actually is. To this day, I still recall the faces of those nin being destroyed in front of me. About all I knew was Genjutsu and not much Tai, which is why I'm here."

"So tell me, what's wrong with emotions in battle?"

"Because they would kill you first and ask questions never." She gave me the dose of reality. "Most over, they have the general motive of defending what's theirs because that's their morals to follow."

"So it all goes back to politics…" I felt a minor flashback in the midst of the exams.

"That's why ninja don't need feelings. The worst thing of my job was to kill patients when we couldn't save them."

"Why wouldn't you let them have their last moments?"

"Most were suffering in agonizing pain of already fatal wounds. We were caught under a time consuming procedure of repairing a vertically sliced artery in the neck. There was plenty of material and I was about done fixing the man up when the cloud nin decided to ambush through our wounded camp. I… had to sever his neck completely in case they'd get him alive. I was mere seconds from saving the man…"

"But you couldn't live with yourself if they tortured him, the cloud nin."

"Sometimes you're just left with a bad and a worse choice, the lesser of the two evils." Her eyes perked up from the clipboard she read, as if she was shocked at what she said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spill out my life story."

"Life happens, but I'm not suppressing how I feel about something. Just the thought of keeping it locked away sounds unhealthy."

* * *

Today was the third and final leg of the exams. I bullcrapped and sweet-talked the nurses into letting me watch the fights mainly because I wanted to see Tenten's outcome of her fight. I felt more aware of my surroundings this time and no longer felt that sensation of drifting nor tunnel vision. I am only forty percent certain that I'm not being controlled by Orochimaru.

I was pushed in a wheelchair by a nurse whom I didn't quite know the name of, hell, I'm bad at remembering anyone at the hospital. Same hairstyle, same clothes, slightly different eye shape and personality. Being technically handicapped, I got instant access to the front row to see the fights go down.

"So who's the poor chap that has to fight Naruto?" I asked the nurse.

"Since you are unable to fight, Naruto has to face either Temari or Tenten come the second set of rounds." She replied. "I'm sure you would have stood a great chance against Naruto."

"Only if I got lucky." I replied, thinking back to my previous fight encounter with him.

Tenten and Temari were the first contenders to fight and the air felt a thousand times different from the fight I remembered. Temari immediately found the upper hand in hand to hand combat. Tenten's petite figure stood no match for Temari's near crushing blows. Thankfully, most had missed but the arena could tell that those that did land did stagger Tenten. She pulled an explosive tag from her pocket which made Temari step back when it was lit. Tenten threw it and made it into an expensive smoke grenade. Both were losing vision from one another until Temari took out her fan to clear the air… But Tenten was nowhere to be found when the air cleared.

"Alright, enough with the games, come out ya little runt!" Temari commanded.

About that time, Tenten had taken Temari's fan from behind and split the fabric that held it together. This move however left Tenten quite exposed in the indirect attack. Temari mule kicked her in what looked to be the kidney. Tenten was torqued when she was hit and rolled some of the energy off the blow. Her eyes could tell the whole story; that kick freaking hurt. Tenten pulled out and shed a scroll of its belongings. Temari whipped out her fan and negated the true direction of the projectiles. It seemed that she formed a chakra web around the torn fabric, making Tenten's preparation pointless.

"There's no way Tenten can beat her." I heard Neji approach from behind. "It's almost like she's been slacking the past week."

"Well I don't see you helping her." I snobbed back at him.

"It's not my job to help her as it is for you, Takamitsu."

"Sorry, I can't do much while being immobilized." I replied.

"That didn't stop Lee now."

"A steel wall couldn't stop Lee." I and him chuckled.

Back in the fight, Tenten had no ranged attacks as an option so long as Temari had the Fan blade. Maybe if she keeps switching her style of offence up, she could catch Temari off guard with her slow hitting fan for a few quick jabs. Temari only lacks dexterity in overpowering her opponent. A few times after being ragdolled, Tenten found a working pattern. Dodge, throw, approach, jab dodge, throw, ect…

Just as Temari figured out the pattern, Tenten made two clones of herself and disoriented the enemy. Temari couldn't block the barrage of hits from three sides. It seemed frustration was getting the better. She went for a heavy strike on one of the clones. Both closing in to each other added a touch of extra momentum needed for a devastating blow. The two clones disappeared and Tenten was out like a light; vaporized, in a non-literal sense…


End file.
